What is New About Dengue Fever? — An Editorial

Résumé

Dengue fever is a major global public health concern, particularly in tropical countries where the environment supports the growth and spread of the mosquito- Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue fever. According to   World Health Organization (WHO), between 50 and 100 million dengue cases are reported globally each year^[1,2]. Approximately 40% of the global population is at risk of contracting dengue, with the disease being endemic in over 100 countries.  Rapid urbanization, inadequate infrastructure, and population behaviors favour significantly to the spread of dengue, resulting in    an increase in cases and the rising frequency of epidemics, typically occurring in cycles every 3–5 years^[3].  In Bangladesh, due to climate change, increasing temperature across the country, changing rain patterns, unplanned urbanization, rapid population growth, and inadequate sanitation have created a suitable

environment for the breeding of dengue-carrying Aedes mosquitoes and this year there is a severe outbreak of dengue before the monsoon season^[4,5]. Total dengue cases from 1^st January till date are 85712 and total death is 448. Dengue fever is caused by dengue virus, an arbovirus and it has four distinct viral serotypes—DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4.  Dengue virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito mainly, but Aedes albopictus may also transmit dengue virus. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes live in the high rise building in urban area and lay their eggs in clean stagnant water collected in vases, unused pots, any containers, flower tubs, plastic containers, abandoned tyres, plastic drums, earthen pots, tin cans, tin shells, containers, mats, battery shells, polythene/chips packets^[6]. They usually bite at dawn and dusk. Dengue virus enters the human body through the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito. If a person is bitten by a dengue infected mosquito, the person becomes infected with dengue fever within 4 to 6 days. If this infected person is bitten by an uninfected Aedes mosquito, that mosquito becomes infected. In this way, dengue spreads from one person to another through mosquitoes.