The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel alert warning Americans about a surge in dengue fever cases — commonly known as “breakbone fever” — among travelers returning to the United States from destinations across multiple continents. The agency flagged a higher-than-expected number of cases and is urging anyone planning international travel to be aware of the risk.
The March 23 alert identified 17 countries of concern: 1) Afghanistan, 2) Bangladesh, 3) Bolivia, 4) Colombia, 5) Cook Islands, 6) Cuba, 7) Guyana, 8) Maldives, 9) Mali, 10) Mauritania, 11) New Caledonia, 12) Pakistan, 13) Samoa, 14) Sudan, 15) Timor-Leste, 16) Vietnam and 17) the United States territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where local transmission is already common. A total of 496 dengue cases have been reported in the U.S. so far this year, the vast majority among people who contracted the illness while traveling abroad.
What dengue fever actually is
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral illness that affects millions of people globally each year. Its nickname — breakbone fever — comes from the intense muscle and joint pain it causes, which can feel severe enough to suggest something far worse is happening inside the body. The illness is transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, and approximately 25% of people bitten by an infected mosquito will develop symptoms.
Those symptoms, according to the CDC, include fever, nausea, vomiting, rash and the characteristic body pain in the muscles and joints that gave the disease its unsettling nickname. In most cases, dengue is manageable with rest, fluids and acetaminophen for fever and pain. There is no specific antiviral treatment, and antibiotics are not effective against it.
When dengue becomes a medical emergency
The more serious concern is severe dengue, which the CDC describes as potentially life-threatening within a matter of hours. This more dangerous form of the illness is most likely to occur in people who have previously been infected with dengue and are contracting it for a second time — a counterintuitive reality that makes prior infection a risk factor rather than a source of immunity.
Warning signs of severe dengue include intense abdominal pain, persistent or frequent vomiting and internal bleeding. The CDC is unambiguous about the appropriate response to these symptoms: anyone who suspects they may be experiencing severe dengue should seek emergency medical care immediately rather than waiting to see if symptoms improve. The agency classifies severe dengue as a medical emergency requiring prompt professional attention.
What travelers should know before they go
For Americans with upcoming trips to any of the countries named in the alert, the CDC recommends taking proactive steps to reduce mosquito exposure. This includes using EPA-registered insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing in areas where mosquitoes are active, staying in accommodations with air conditioning or window screens where possible and being especially vigilant during daytime hours, when Aedes mosquitoes are most active.
Travelers who return from affected regions and develop a fever or other dengue-like symptoms within two weeks of their trip should contact a healthcare provider promptly and mention their recent travel history, as dengue can be difficult to distinguish from other illnesses without specific testing.
The CDC’s travel alert does not advise against visiting the named countries but does stress the importance of awareness and prevention for anyone heading to those destinations in the weeks and months ahead. Given the breadth of the list — spanning Asia, the Caribbean, South America, the Pacific and Africa — the alert effectively applies to a significant portion of popular international travel routes from the United States.
Source: PEOPLE