Dengue fever could spread in Europe

The danger is increasing due to climate change and associated rising temperatures, WHO specialist Diana Rojas said in Geneva on Friday. This year, Italy reported 82 locally transmitted infections, France 43 and Spain three.

Eggs do not survive the winter here
European countries still have a chance to prevent these mosquitoes from spreading further, Rojas said. Globally, the number of reported cases increased tenfold between 2000 and 2019. In southern Europe, small populations of the tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti), which transmit dengue fever, already exist.

The eggs were able to survive the winter and the larvae were able to hatch when the weather warmed up. According to the WHO, most cases this year were reported in the Americas, more than 80 percent.

Mosquitoes are mainly active during the day
Aedes mosquitoes are mainly active during the day. They occur mainly in tropical and subtropical areas, but spread rapidly both to other latitudes and to higher altitudes, for example in Nepal up to more than 2000 meters. The viral infection is often mild, but can cause serious complications in ten percent of cases.

The WHO estimates the number of infections at almost 400 million per year. Only a fraction of these are actually diagnosed and reported. There are currently no effective treatments.

Fever and rash
Symptoms usually appear three to ten days, rarely up to fourteen days, after the bite. Typical is the so-called dengue triad: fever, rash and headache, muscle, limb, bone or joint pain. The serious course often only occurs after repeated infection with the dengue virus. In Austria, dengue fever is notifiable.