Florida: Two additional locally transmitted dengue reported in Miami-Dade County
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) reported two additional locally-transmitted dengue fever cases in Miami-Dade County during the past week.
This brings the total locally acquired cases in the state to 16 from four counties in 2024 to date- Hillsborough (2), Miami-Dade (11), Monroe (2), and Pasco counties.
In 2023, DOH reported 186 cases of locally acquired dengue in five counties: Broward (4), Hardee (19), Miami-Dade (161), Palm Beach, and Polk counties.
In addition to the local cases, the DOH has reported two hundred and seventy-eight 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) that are related to the viruses that cause West Nile infection and yellow fever.
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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).
There are no antiviral medications approved to treat dengue. Treatment is supportive and requires careful volume management. Appropriate triage, management, and follow-up remain the most effective interventions to reduce dengue morbidity and mortality.
A dengue vaccine is approved for use in children aged 9–16 years with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue virus infection and living in areas where dengue is endemic (occurs frequently or continuously).
Endemic areas include some U.S. territories and freely associated states.
The vaccine is not approved for use in U.S. travelers who are visiting but not living in an area where dengue is common.
Dengue is a nationally notifiable disease in the United States. Six U.S. territories and freely associated states are classified as areas with frequent or continuous dengue transmission: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. In the rest of the United States, local transmission of DENV has been limited, with sporadic cases or small outbreaks in Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. However, confirmed local DENV transmission has also been reported by Arizona and California over the past two years.