Dengue Prevention: Our Responsibility for a Safer Tomorrow

Dengue Prevention: Our Responsibility for a Safer TomorrowThe march of dengue, unlike other ancient infectious disease scourges of mankind that have abated of late, has expanded relentlessly for the past several decades, and it currently affects over 120 countries, placing over four billion people at risk of dengue infection.The forces that sustain this expansion include rapid globalization, unplanned urbanization, and poor mosquito control.The vast majority of dengue infections are clinically inapparent.Among the approximately 25% of those infected who have clinical manifestations, symptoms are often mild, but they may be moderate or severe in a small proportion, leading to death in 0.1-2.5% of all cases depending on host factors and access to care. Global Overview: Current SituationAs of 30th April 2024, over 7.6 million dengue cases have been reported to the WHO in 2024, including 3.4 million confirmed cases, over 16,000 severe cases, and over 3,000 deaths.While a substantial increase in dengue cases has been reported globally in the last five years, this increase has been particularly pronounced in the Region of the Americas, where the number of cases has already exceeded seven million by the end of April 2024, surpassing the annual high of 4.6 million cases in 2023.Furthermore, this is three times what was reported during the same period in 2023, highlighting the acceleration of this health problem.Dengue virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.Cases are most commonly asymptomatic or result in mild febrile illness.However, some cases develop severe dengue, which may involve shock, severe bleeding or severe organ impairment.The risk of dengue is similar across regions, countries, and within countries.Factors associated with an increasing risk of dengue epidemics and spread to new countries include: