Op-Ed on Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever Makes Inroads into the U.S.
The mosquito-borne infection is cropping up in Florida, but mysteriously not in similar regions in the nation
By Dina Fine Maron
Most Americans lose little sleep over dengue fever. The mosquito-borne infection is a leading killer in the tropics and subtropics, but it’s been a long-held belief that ubiquitous air-conditioning, few open windows and limited time outdoors protects us from dengue. And in fact, for the past century most U.S. cases (except those near the Texas–Mexico border) were isolated to immigrants or travelers. In recent years, however, locally acquired cases of the disease have started to appear in pockets of the U.S. Now, researchers fear dengue could be gaining a significant foothold here.
One geographic mystery in particular has forced some epidemiological detective work. Despite that fact that large populations of dengue-carrying mosquitoes are found in certain parts of the U.S., outbreaks have yet to be detected in some of those locations—and scientists are questioning these patterns. Answers could help avert future outbreaks. More than 2.5 billion people—almost 40 percent of the world's population—are now at risk from dengue, and the World Health Organization currently estimates there may be 50 million to 100 million dengue infections worldwide every year.
Tucson, Ariz., and Key West, Fla., each have had sustained populations of Aedes aegypti, a dengue-carrying mosquito, for some 20 years. And yet, whereas the virus rippled through southern Florida, documented cases in Tucson are still unknown. The interest is not just academic—answers could help avert future bouts of the virus.Right now, with no vaccine against the virus, the best defense available is reducing mosquito habitat in areas where dengue fever is common. New clues about why some communities appear dengue-hardened could yield better protective measures.
One research group is now scouring data for new insights. The team conducted
The mosquito-borne infection is cropping up in Florida, but mysteriously not in similar regions in the nation
By Dina Fine Maron
Most Americans lose little sleep over dengue fever. The mosquito-borne infection is a leading killer in the tropics and subtropics, but it’s been a long-held belief that ubiquitous air-conditioning, few open windows and limited time outdoors protects us from dengue. And in fact, for the past century most U.S. cases (except those near the Texas–Mexico border) were isolated to immigrants or travelers. In recent years, however, locally acquired cases of the disease have started to appear in pockets of the U.S. Now, researchers fear dengue could be gaining a significant foothold here.
One geographic mystery in particular has forced some epidemiological detective work. Despite that fact that large populations of dengue-carrying mosquitoes are found in certain parts of the U.S., outbreaks have yet to be detected in some of those locations—and scientists are questioning these patterns. Answers could help avert future outbreaks. More than 2.5 billion people—almost 40 percent of the world's population—are now at risk from dengue, and the World Health Organization currently estimates there may be 50 million to 100 million dengue infections worldwide every year.
Tucson, Ariz., and Key West, Fla., each have had sustained populations of Aedes aegypti, a dengue-carrying mosquito, for some 20 years. And yet, whereas the virus rippled through southern Florida, documented cases in Tucson are still unknown. The interest is not just academic—answers could help avert future bouts of the virus.Right now, with no vaccine against the virus, the best defense available is reducing mosquito habitat in areas where dengue fever is common. New clues about why some communities appear dengue-hardened could yield better protective measures.
One research group is now scouring data for new insights. The team conducted