Dengue cases at all-time high linked to climate change, research says

Nearly 12 million cases recorded in the Americas this year

Nearly 12 million cases of dengue fever have been recorded in the Americas this year, close to triple last year’s total.

New research suggests climate change is responsible for nearly a fifth of the world’s dengue burden

New research being presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene on Saturday quantifies the role that climate change has played in the trend, attributing nearly a fifth of the existing dengue burden to rising temperatures, NBC News reported.

Climate change could be responsible for a 60% increase in dengue cases by 2050

By 2050, the research predicts, climate change could be responsible for a 60% increase in the incidence of dengue if emissions continue at pace, with some places — like parts of Peru, Mexico, Bolivia and Brazil — seeing spikes of up to 200%.

Public health experts warn of the connection between greenhouse gas emissions and specific health consequences

Public health experts have long warned that global warming enables mosquito-borne diseases to spread to new places because it expands the geographic range where the insects that serve as vectors live and thrive. Mallory Harris, a co-author of the new research and a postdoctoral associate in the University of Maryland’s biology department, said her team’s findings build evidence for the significant role climate change has played in dengue’s spread. More broadly, she said, the research highlights the connection between greenhouse gas emissions and specific health consequences.

Dengue fever is a growing health threat that can cause really severe consequences

“Dengue is a growing health threat that can cause really severe consequences. It’s something that we need to be preparing for,” Harris said. “We should be expecting these sorts of large epidemics in the future and thinking about ways to then respond to them.”

In the United States and its territories, more than 7,200 dengue cases have been tallied so far this year

In the United States and its territories, more than 7,200 dengue cases have been tallied so far this year — more than double last year’s total and the highest since 2013.

New research analyzed temperature records and incidence data on dengue across 21 countries in Asia and the Americas

The new research, which has not yet been published or peer-reviewed, analyzed temperature records and incidence data on dengue across 21 countries in Asia and the Americas over an average of 11 years. The researchers compared the data to a simulation of what would have happened during that time period without human-caused climate change.

The researchers found that the mosquitoes that carry dengue transmit the virus most efficiently when temperatures are between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit

The researchers found that the mosquitoes that carry dengue — called Aedes aegypti — transmit the virus most efficiently when temperatures are between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. They concluded that even if global greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced, the majority of the countries analyzed would still see climate-driven increases in dengue.

Experts suggest a focus on vaccines and efforts to curb mosquito populations

“The risks of this are going to increase regardless, so we need to be thinking about mitigation,” Harris said, suggesting a focus on vaccines and efforts to curb mosquito populations.

The maker of the only Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine for dengue discontinued it earlier this year

The maker of the only Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccine for dengue discontinued it earlier this year, according to the CDC.

What you need to know about dengue fever

Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes. Here’s what you need to know.

More than half of people who contract dengue, a viral fever, are asymptomatic. Most of the rest experience mild cases, with symptoms that can include a fever, headache, joint pain, nausea and vomiting. Severe infections — about 2% of cases in U.S. territories from 2010 to 2020, according to the CDC — can cause bleeding under the skin, in the nose or in urine or stool, as well as a sudden drop in blood pressure or even death.

Dengue is most common in places with humid, tropical climates across Latin America

The disease is most common in places with humid, tropical climates across Latin America.

Experts foresee a need to prioritize vaccines, better manage mosquito populations, and ensure hospitals and health care providers prepare for a rise in dengue cases

Derek Cummings, a professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who was not involved in the new research, said it takes “something that we all knew — that the temperature is important — but quantifies how much and how important it is to the changes we’re seeing.”

Cummings, who has published his own research on dengue, added that on a global scale, he foresees a need to prioritize vaccines, better manage mosquito populations, and ensure hospitals and health care providers prepare for a rise in dengue cases.

The new research shows how climate change’s consequences affect various parts of the world differently

Harris emphasized that the new research shows how climate change’s consequences affect various parts of the world differently.

“The greatest impacts of historic climate change on dengue burden were in places like Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, which are not necessarily the places that are the overall hottest. They’re not necessarily the places that are having the greatest increases in heat deaths,” she said. “There are effects that you might experience in places that are marginally cooler that also need to be taken into account.”

Conclusion

The new research highlights the urgent need for public health experts, policymakers, and the general public to take action to mitigate the effects of climate change on dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases.

FAQs

Q: What is dengue fever?

A: Dengue fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes.

Q: How common is dengue fever?

A: Dengue fever is most common in places with humid, tropical climates across Latin America.

Q: What are the symptoms of dengue fever?

A: Symptoms of dengue fever can include a fever, headache, joint pain, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, it can cause bleeding under the skin, in the nose or in urine or stool, as well as a sudden drop in blood pressure or even death.

Q: How can I prevent dengue fever?

A: Preventing dengue fever requires a combination of individual and community efforts. This includes using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, eliminating mosquito breeding sites, and getting vaccinated.

Q: What is the current situation with dengue fever in the United States?

A: In the United States and its territories, more than 7,200 dengue cases have been tallied so far this year — more than double last year’s total and the highest since 2013.