Locally-transmitted dengue cases eclipse 50 in Florida this year with 15 new cases reported last week
In a follow-up on the autochthonous dengue fever cases reported in Florida year to date, state health officials reported 15 additional cases the week ending October 7, bringing the state total to 53.
Fourteen of the new cases were reported in Miami-Dade County and one case was reported in Palm Beach County.
The cases in 2023 are distributed as follows: Broward (3), Hardee, Miami-Dade (47), Palm Beach, and Polk counties.
Last year, Florida reported 68 locally-transmitted dengue cases from the following counties: Collier, Broward (2), Miami-Dade (64), and Volusia.
Other human infections caused by arboviruses in Florida this year include two Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) from St. Johns and Suwannee counties and six West Nile virus (WNV) cases in Escambia (5) and Okaloosa counties.
In addition, seven local cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria were reported in Sarasota County.
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.
There are four closely related but antigenically different serotypes of the virus that can cause dengue (DEN1, DEN 2, DEN 3, DEN 4).
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Dengue Fever (DF) – marked by an onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and pain in muscles and joints. Some may also have a rash and varying degree of bleeding from various parts of the body (including nose, mouth and gums or skin bruising).Dengue has a wide spectrum of infection outcome (asymptomatic to symptomatic). Symptomatic illness can vary from dengue fever (DF) to the more serious dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).
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Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) – is a more severe form, seen only in a small proportion of those infected. DHF is a stereotypic illness characterized by 3 phases; febrile phase with high continuous fever usually lasting for less than 7 days; critical phase (plasma leaking) lasting 1-2 days usually apparent when fever comes down, leading to shock if not detected and treated early; convalescence phase lasting 2-5 days with improvement of appetite, bradycardia (slow heart rate), convalescent rash (white patches in red background), often accompanied by generalized itching (more intense in palms and soles), and diuresis (increase urine output).
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) — Shock syndrome is a dangerous complication of dengue infection and is associated with high mortality. Severe dengue occurs as a result of secondary infection with a different virus serotype. Increased vascular permeability, together with myocardial dysfunction and dehydration, contribute to the development of shock, with resultant multiorgan failure.