Dengue Fever: Can it impact the Miami Valley?

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Mosquitos are about to make their return to the Miami Valley, and with that comes the risk of mosquito born illnesses.

Once nearly eradicated, dengue fever is making a resurgence in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 68 cases of dengue fever have been reported this year with Florida at the top with 50 cases, and Ohio with 1.

The disease is spread through the Aedes mosquito, which is present in the Miami Valley, but encountering an infected one is rare.

Chris Cook, Clark County Combined Health District Assistant Health Commissioner, said, “That mosquito is infected by biting someone, a person who is infected with dengue fever. So if they pick it up from a person, then they have it in their body and then can transmit it by biting another person.”

There is no treatment for dengue fever. Most people infected with the virus are asymptomatic. Symptomatic people will experience symptoms similar to the flu, but severe cases are rare.

Dr. Joseph Allen, Premier Health Regional Medical Director, said, “They just feel crummy. Just kind of like that. I would say like the flu, but doesn’t have any of the GI symptoms, like a flu. You just feel fever, body aches and fatigue pretty substantially.”

In Ohio it is rare to transmit the virus, with 5 cases confirmed in 2022, none of which were contracted within the state.

Cook said, “In 2022, there were about 1200 cases in the United States, 95% of those were travel related, which means people got it in another country.”

Wearing repellent and removing standing water are great ways to prevent mosquito bites at home, but if you are traveling to a country where the virus is prevalent, additional protection can allow you to sleep soundly.

Cook said, “See if you’re able to use screens to sleep at night or mosquito nets, it can protect you again when those mosquitoes are most active.”

Allen said the number of people with dengue fever are likely higher than the official number, because of the price of testing, and length it takes to return the test.