June 26, 2024 – A potentially deadly mosquito-borne illness sometimes called “breakbone fever” is reaching record levels this year across popular travel destinations worldwide.
Formally known as dengue fever, the CDC issued an alert Tuesday to health care providers about the virus that causes the illness, urging them to be on the lookout for what may simply appear to be a fever and other run-of-the-mill symptoms like nausea and muscle aches.
Diagnosing dengue fever is critical because some people with it will get severe complications like organ failure and blood vessel damage that can cause bleeding under the skin and from the gums of the mouth.
Already this year, 745 U.S. travelers have been diagnosed with dengue fever, according to the CDC. Through the first half of this year, the number of cases recorded in countries in the Americas has surpassed 9.7 million, which is double the case count for all of 2023, the CDC alert stated. The virus has infected about 1,500 people in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, prompting officials there to declare a public health emergency.
U.S. states with a recent history of dengue fever cases or small outbreaks include Florida, Hawaii, Texas, Arizona, and California. The average number of annual cases in the U.S. was 626 from 2010 to 2017, according to the most recent data summary from the CDC. During that time period, 18 people died.
The greatest risk is among people traveling to places where dengue is more common, particularly countries from Mexico and the Caribbean and continuing downward through South America, as well as in parts of Africa and Asia. In more than 100 countries, the virus is considered endemic, meaning it is always circulating. Increases in dengue fever are blamed on climate change, urbanization, and movement of populations, the World Health Organization says.
People visiting countries where dengue fever is common should try to prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that covers the skin and applying insect repellent to any exposed skin. When also using sunscreen, apply insect repellent after applying sunscreen. Clothing and gear can also be treated with an insecticide called permethrin.
The CDC advised health care providers to suspect dengue fever and test for it in people with a fever who, within the past 2 weeks, have visited a place where the virus is common. Not everyone who gets the virus will have symptoms. Of the roughly 1 in 4 people who do have symptoms, those typically appear 5 to 7 days after infection and include a fever plus nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle aches, joint pain, or a headache.
While testing can diagnose if someone has the virus, there are no specific treatments, and instead symptoms are managed through supportive care such as acetaminophen to reduce fever and fluids to prevent dehydration.