The evolution of dengue fever trends in the Central-West Region of Brazil: An 11-year analysis of incidence data from 2013 to 2023 in Mato Grosso do Sul

OBJECTIVES: In 2024, Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil became the first municipality to launch a mass dengue vaccination campaign in individuals aged 4-60 years. We describe the historical incidence of dengue in Dourados and the municipality of Ponta Porã, Mato Grosso do Sul, where vaccination was limited to individuals aged 10-14 years as part of a vaccination campaign initiated in February 2024. METHODS: This descriptive, retrospective, epidemiologic study used aggregated dengue data from the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Information System collected from January 2013 to December 2023 for individuals aged 4-60 years from Dourados and Ponta Porã. The annual incidence of suspected and confirmed dengue cases was expressed as cases per 100,000 population and stratified by sex, age, and calendar month. RESULTS: A total of 19,349 suspected and 11,439 confirmed dengue cases were reported in Dourados and 13,260 suspected and 6861 confirmed dengue cases in Ponta Porã. The 4-17 years age group had lowest incidence rates (confirmed: Dourados = 217 per 100,000, Ponta Porã = 295 per 100,000), with higher incidence rates in the 18-45 years age group (confirmed: Dourados = 681 per 100,000, Ponta Porã = 1089 per 100,000). There was a reduced relative risk of dengue for the 4-17 vs 18-45 age group (incidence rate ratio = 0.27-0.32). Peak incidence rates occurred in March-April, with the lowest rates in August-October. CONCLUSIONS: Dengue is a public health challenge in Mato Grosso do Sul. Preventive interventions are crucial to alleviate disease burden and control outbreaks.