Florida: More local dengue reported in Hillsborough and Miami-Dade counties
In a follow-up on the dengue fever situation in Florida this year, the state Department of Health reported four additional locally acquired dengue fever cases during the past week.
In the week ending July 13. health officials reported one additional case in Hillsborough County and three additional cases in Miami-Dade County.
In 2024, 14 cases of locally acquired dengue have been reported in Hillsborough (2), Miami-Dade (9), Monroe (2), and Pasco counties.
Of the 12 cases typed, four are DENV-1 and eight cases as DENV-3.
Concerning travel-associated dengue fever cases, DOH reports 252 cases with onset in 2024 have been reported in individuals with travel history to a dengue-endemic area in the two weeks prior to onset.
Dengue fever is an important mosquito-borne disease worldwide. It is caused by four related dengue viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4).
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Dengue infection is acquired through the bite of certain species of mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti, but also Aedes albopictus, both of which are present in Florida.
Dengue fever can be a painful, debilitating disease but is rarely fatal. Symptoms appear 3-14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito and include sudden onset of fever, severe headache, eye pain, muscle and joint pain (giving the disease the nickname "breakbone fever"), and bleeding. Gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea may also be present in some cases. Dengue fever symptoms usually lasts 4-7 days. The disease is often diagnosed incorrectly because the symptoms are similar to influenza and other viruses.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a rare but more severe form of dengue infection that can be fatal if not recognized and treated with supportive care. The primary risk factor for hemorrhagic fever is previous infection with a different dengue serotype (i.e. getting DENV-2 if you have already DENV-1 puts you at increased risk of hemorrhagic fever).