Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever: New North American Pandemic Risk

Anyone familiar with the West Nile Virus and it's spread through North America in recent years has new reason for concern.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, also spread by mosquitos, has been working it's way north in the same pattern.

www.cdc.gov...

As you can see from the above linked map, it has already reached the Texas border.

I feel this is extremely relavant at the moment because with Katrina, and soon Rita, leaving masses of standing water, it creates an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos in the area to flourish and facilitate transmission.

www.cdc.gov...

CDC:"In 2005, dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease affecting humans"

CDC:"Infections produce a spectrum of clinical illness ranging from a nonspecific viral syndrome to severe and fatal hemorrhagic disease."

Admittedly; CDC:"The case-fatality rate of DHF in most countries is about 5%, but this can be reduced to less than 1% with proper treatment."

But, this is on par with SARS and worse than West Nile.

So in conclusion fellow ATSers, stay informed and don't forget your repellant!


[edit on 24/9/05 by redmage]

Great find, I need to so a bit of research here. However, in regards to the Hurricanes and mosquitos, They already had an agressive spraying planned for those areas, and Ill bet they will get more attention post disaster.

Thanks FredT.

As an added note from the CDC link, "Considerable emphasis in the past has been placed on ultra-low-volume insecticide space sprays for adult mosquito control, a relatively ineffective approach for controlling Ae. aegypti."

So lets hope they come up with something more effective/potent without being too environmentaly hazardous as well.

Ae. aegypti, AKA Stegomyia aegypti, is a species of mosquito considered an able carrier, but that's not to say some other mosquito species cannot carry the virus as well.

Pic from www.cdc.gov...

Info on it and it's distribution can befound here.
wrbu.si.edu...

Also another point of interest with this specific species is:"BIONOMICS:This species is a pest wherever it occurs. Females have been collected bite during both day and night."

The map for Ae. aegypti's "habitat" goes right through TX and LA.




[edit on 24/9/05 by redmage]

Found more info on another able carrier species.

Ae. albopictus AKA the asian tiger mosquito is also considered a "day biter" and as it turns out this raises issues in fighting these species because some states have regulations on day spraying due to adverse effects on other species such as bees.


Quotes from link below.

"Ae. albopictus is a potential vector of epidemic dengue."

"The northernmost established infestation in the U.S. is Chicago, Illinois, although an infestation was found in Minnesota in 1997"

"Limited focal infestations in at least three northern states, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio, apparently have been eliminated through persistent control efforts by state and local agencies, perhaps coupled with severe winter temperatures. Nonetheless, other areas in Indiana and Ohio continue to be infested. During 1994, Georgia became the first state to document Ae. albopictus in all counties of the state and has since been joined by Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee."

www.cdc.gov...

More info on Ae. albopictus can be found here.

www.rci.rutgers.edu...
en.wikipedia.org...


[edit on 24/9/05 by redmage]

[edit on 10/15/05 by redmage]

Well, NO looks ok so far but there have been a few cases in Texas.

A young woman in Brownsville had dengue hemorrhagic fever acquired from a mosquito in the United States.

According to this article, most prior Texas cases were from people traveling back and forth across the border (as they claim prior cases but credit this girl as the 1st, hemoragic case, locally acquired).

www.statesman.com...

"is among 15 cases being investigated in Brownsville"

"The hemorrhagic form of the disease causes a sudden fever, rash, easy bruising, aches, weakness, restlessness and possible bleeding of the gums and internal bleeding."

"Death rates can be as high as 50 percent without treatment, but with care, as low as 1 percent to 2 percent."