Climate change could see dengue fever come to Europe

[Judi Lynn]

Climate change could see dengue fever come to Europe
August 22, 2014
University of East Anglia

Dengue fever could make headway in popular European holiday destinations if climate change continues on its predicted trajectory, according to University of East Anglia research published in open access journal BMC Public Health.

The study used current data from Mexico, where dengue fever is present, and information about EU countries to model the likelihood of the disease spreading in Europe. They found that coastal regions around the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, the Po Valley and North East Italy were most at risk.

Dengue fever is a tropical disease caused by a virus that is spread by mosquitoes, with symptoms including fever, headache, muscle and joint pain. Each year, dengue infects 50 million people worldwide and causes approximately 12,000 deaths -- mostly in South-east Asia and the Western Pacific.

Because the mosquitoes that carry and transmit the virus thrive in warm and humid conditions, it is more commonly found in areas with these weather conditions. Dense populations and global travel are also associated with increasing the spread of the disease, which was observed in the last few decades.

More:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140822083935.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28Latest+Science+News+--+ScienceDaily%29

[Divernan]

1. Dengue Fever Infections in Florida Make Health Experts Wary of Mosquito-Borne Outbreak

http://time.com/2823716/dengue-fever-florida-mosquito-borne-disease-outbreak/

Deadly disease on the rise in the Sunshine State
June 4, 2014

After 42 Floridians came down with dangerous mosquito-borne diseases, state officials advised citizens on Wednesday to take steps to protect themselves against bug bites.

The Florida Department of Health announced 24 confirmed cases of dengue fever as of last week, and 18 confirmed cases of chikungunya, both viruses that do not have vaccines to prevent them and have not typically been found in North America, the CDC says.

All Floridians infected had traveled to the Caribbean or South America, and officials believe they may have contracted the diseases there, but epidemiologists worry that Florida mosquitos may be spreading the illnesses, which could lead to a potential outbreak, Reuters reports.

Dengue is a potentially fatal disease and both can cause long-term problems. “The threat is greater than I’ve seen in my lifetime,” said Walter Tabachnick, director of the Florida Medical Entomological Laboratory in Vero Beach. “Sooner or later, our mosquitoes will pick it up and transmit it to us. That is the imminent threat,” he said.

July 11, 2014
Dengue Fever Erupts In Florida With Cause Being Local, World Health Organization Extremely Concerned [VIDEO]
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1347310/dengue-fever-erupts-in-florida-with-cause-being-local-world-health-organization-extremely-concerned-video/#akGmcM4fqA6hKHYQ.99

Now another case of a person in Florida getting infected with dengue fever is being reported. The frightening part about this case is the 50-year-old woman never left the country. This means the dengue fever was made on local grounds, as opposed to getting it in another country.

According to an article by Local 10, health officials say the case is the state’s first locally acquired dengue fever this year. The Florida Department of Health’s administrator in Miami-Dade County said on Wednesday that the woman has now fully recovered.

However, the fact that the disease is local brings up major concerns, especially since dengue fever is not local to the United States. In other parts of the world, it is widespread and, at times, uncontrolled. As a matter of fact, most cases of dengue fever in the United States happen to someone who went outside the country and came back. In those cases, local officials do their best to contain the disease before it spreads.

However, Before It’s News included extra insight with their report. They state the Florida media is trying their best to brand the disease as “rarely fatal.” This is contrary to reports by CNN and other sources who call it “one of the deadliest and fastest growing diseases globally.” Could it be that the state is trying to prevent panic, or are they really speaking truth?

The description of what one goes through with dengue fever is horrifying. According to Florida Health, it can be an extremely painful and debilitating experience if infected. Symptoms appear three to 14 days after the bite and include the sudden onset of fever, severe headache, eye pain, muscle and join paint — including extreme back pain — and bleeding. Gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea may also be present.

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1347310/dengue-fever-erupts-in-florida-with-cause-being-local-world-health-organization-extremely-concerned-video/#akGmcM4fqA6hKHYQ.99