WHO points out that Brazil is the country with the most cases of dengue in the world

Brazil leads the number of dengue cases in the world, with 2.9 million registered in 2023, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The cases are more than half of the 5 million registered worldwide. The organization drew attention, this Friday (22), to the disease that has spread to countries where historically the disease did not circulate.

Among the reasons for the increase is the climate crisis, which has raised the world temperature and allowed the dengue-carrying mosquito, the Aedes aegypti survive in an environment where this did not occur before. The 2023 El Niño phenomenon also accentuated the effects of global warming temperatures and climate change.

Worldwide, the WHO has reported more than 5 million dengue infections and 5,000 deaths from the disease. The majority, 80% of these cases, equivalent to 4.1 million, were reported in the Americas, followed by Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. In the Americas, Brazil has the highest number of cases, followed by Peru and Mexico. The data refers to the period from January 1st to December 11th.

Brazil

Of the total cases found in Brazil, 1,474, or 0.05% of the total, are cases of severe dengue, also called hemorrhagic dengue. The country is the second in the region with the highest number of most serious cases, behind only Colombia, with 1,504 cases.

Previously dengue-free countries, such as France, Italy and Spain, have reported cases of infections originating within the country – so-called autochthonous transmission – and not abroad. The mosquito Aedes aegypti It is widely distributed in Europe, where it is better known as the tiger mosquito.

Climate changes

In Brazil, a survey carried out by the AdaptaBrasil platform showed that climate change in Brazil can lead to the proliferation of vectors, such as the Aedes aegypti mosquito and, consequently, the worsening of arboviruses, such as dengue, zika and chikungunya. The platform is linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), in partnership with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz),

Projections also indicate the expansion of malaria, American cutaneous leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis. The work took into account the maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity and accumulated precipitation to associate the occurrence of the vector, which are mosquitoes that transmit the different diseases under analysis. AdaptaBrasil also assesses the vulnerability and exposure of the population to these vectors.

Dengue is the most common viral infection transmitted to humans bitten by infected mosquitoes. It is found mainly in urban areas in tropical and subtropical climates.

The main symptoms of dengue are high fever, pain in the body and joints, pain behind the eyes, malaise, lack of appetite, headache and red spots on the body.

To prevent mosquito infestation, the Ministry of Health advises that it is necessary to eliminate breeding sites, keeping reservoirs and any place that can accumulate water completely covered with screens, covers or lids. Protective measures against bites can also help especially in areas of transmission. O Aedes aegypti It attacks mainly during the day.

Vaccine

On Thursday (21), the Ministry of Health incorporated the dengue vaccine into the Unified Health System (SUS). According to the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, Brazil is the first country in the world to offer the vaccine in the universal public system.

Known as Qdenga, the vaccine will not be made available on a large scale at first, but will be focused on the public and priority regions. The incorporation of the immunizing agent was analyzed and approved by the National Commission for the Incorporation of Technologies into the SUS (Conitec).

The Ministry of Health informed that the National Immunization Program (PNI) will work with the Technical Advisory Chamber on Immunization (CTAI) to define the best strategy for using the available quantity, such as target audience and regions with a higher incidence of the disease for application. of doses. These strategies should be defined in the first weeks of January.

In an interview, the vice-president of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIm), Renato Kfouri, emphasizes the importance of the vaccine to control dengue in the country. “The vaccine, without a doubt, along with other measures, will be an important tool for controlling this disease,” he said.

He adds that “dengue is a disease that directly impacts practically the entire national territory, it has been expanding in regions where we did not have dengue fever and the control of the mosquito vector that transmits the disease has been insufficient for us to be able to reduce the rates of infection that only spreads.”

Ministry of Health

In a statement, the ministry says it is alert and constantly monitors the dengue scenario in Brazil. To support states and municipalities in actions to control dengue, the department transferred R$256 million across the country to reinforce the fight against the disease.

The ministry informs that it has installed a National Arbovirus Room, a permanent space for real-time monitoring of places with the highest incidence of dengue, chikungunya and Zika to prepare Brazil for a possible increase in cases in the coming months. With this measure, it will be possible to better direct surveillance actions.

“The time is to intensify efforts and prevention measures by everyone to reduce the transmission of the disease. To avoid the worsening of cases, the population should seek the nearest health service when presenting the first symptoms”, says the text, which also highlights that around 11,700 health professionals were trained in 2023 for clinical management, surveillance and dengue control.

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