Scientist Victoria Michieri, director and director of the Center for Parasitology and Vector Research at the national scientific research institute CONICET, classifies different types of mosquitoes on Tuesday at her laboratory in La Plata, Argentina's Buenos Aires province.
Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images
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Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images
Scientist Victoria Michieri, director and director of the Center for Parasitology and Vector Research at the national scientific research institute CONICET, classifies different types of mosquitoes on Tuesday at her laboratory in La Plata, Argentina's Buenos Aires province.
Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images
Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency after recording an unusual spike in dengue cases in the first months of this year.
This is the latest field to address the rapidly increasing number of mosquito-borne diseases that are affecting an estimated 100 million to 400 million people worldwide.
Since the beginning of this year, Puerto Rico has recorded 549 cases, nearly half of them in the San Juan area, according to the Puerto Rico Health Department. Puerto Rico has had a total of 1,293 cases over the last year, according to the Associated Press.
Puerto Rico's Health Secretary Carlos Mellado López said in a statement that “the number of dengue cases this year exceeded historic numbers.”
Dengue cases are also rapidly increasing in other regions. Brazil has seen a dramatic rise in dengue cases this year, with more than 1 million cases, and Peru hit record numbers last summer. Argentina is also on the brink of a record dengue outbreak.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately half of the world's population is currently at risk of this disease.
What is dengue fever?
People usually become infected with dengue through a bite. Aedes A mosquito infected with one of the four dengue viruses.
Most people with dengue fever show no signs of infection or experience only mild symptoms, such as fever, muscle and joint pain, and nausea. Usually she recovers in 1-2 weeks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only a quarter of people infected with dengue become ill.
In rare cases, dengue fever requires hospitalization and can even lead to death. More severe symptoms include bleeding gums or nose, abdominal pain, and persistent vomiting.
People who have previously had dengue fever are more likely to become seriously ill from a subsequent infection.
There are no specific medications to treat dengue fever, but patients can take acetaminophen to reduce fever and reduce pain.
How to keep yourself safe
Approximately half of the world's population can contract dengue fever where they live. Dengue fever is most common in tropical and subtropical climates and is endemic in more than 100 countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas, and has spread to parts of Europe, according to the WHO. Last year, cases of dengue fever were reported in Florida and Texas.
There is a vaccine for dengue fever called Dengvaxia. In the United States, it is approved for use in children ages 9 to 16 who have previously been infected with the disease, and in other parts of the world it is available for adults up to 45 years of age.
Experts say the best way to avoid contracting dengue fever is to avoid mosquito bites.
Insect repellents such as DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 can help keep mosquitoes away. You can also wear loose-fitting clothing that covers your arms and legs and use a mosquito net.
Households should install screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs, and regularly empty standing water from flowerpots, etc.
