Fact Sheet
CLINICAL FEATURES
- Sudden onset of fever, severe headache, myalgias and arthralgias, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and hemorrhagic manifestations
- Occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage, leading to death
ETIOLOGIC AGENT
- Dengue viruses (DENV 1, DENV 2, DENV 3, and DENV 4) - flaviviruses
INCIDENCE
- Variable, depending on epidemic activity.
- Globally, there are an estimated 50 to 100 million cases of dengue fever (DF) and several hundred thousand cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) per year
- Case fatality rate can be as high as 10%. Can be reduced to as low as 1% with early recognition and proper treatment.
- In 2007, 900,782 cases of DF and 26,413 cases of DHF reported in Americas. Outbreaks were reported in 11 countries.
- Between 100 to 200 suspected cases introduced into U.S. each year by travelers
SEQUELAE
- None
COSTS
- $250 million estimated in Puerto Rico in past 10 years
TRANSMISSION
- Mosquito-borne (Aedes Aegypti)
RISK GROUPS
- Residents of or visitors to tropical and subtropical environments, especially urban and suburban areas
- Increased severe and fatal disease in children under 15 years
- No cross-immunity from each serotype
- A person can potentially experience four dengue infections
SURVEILLANCE
- DF and DHF are designated as reportable disease by law in US
- Dengue Branch responsible for laboratory-based surveillance
- Laboratory-based surveillance in endemic areas outside of US and it territories
TRENDS
- Resurgent disease in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide
- Epidemics have increased in size and frequency
- Transmission in continental U.S. last reported in 2005 first since 1986
- Since first epidemic in 1981, DHF now reported from 18 countries in the Americas
- Evolution of disease pattern in Americas similar to SE Asia in 1950s and 1960s
CHALLENGES
- Increased incidence associated with increased urbanization
- More rapid dispersal of viruses via increased air travel
- Vector control methods used to respond to an epidemics have not shown evidence of effectiveness
- Severe hemorrhagic disease poorly understood by physicians
- Need to increase effective epidemic prevention methods
- Need to increase community participation in prevention and control programs
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES and PRIORITIES
- Develop improved laboratory-based international surveillance
- Develop rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tests
- Develop more effective community-based prevention programs
- Develop tetravalent dengue vaccine
- Dengue Branch, designated WHO Reference Center
- Increased medical community education
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dengue Branch
1324 Calle Cañada
San Juan, Puerto Rico
00920-3860 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov