Prioritise Dengue Fever Prevention

More than
125 countries are now
dengue
endemic1

Infections have been confirmed in European travellers returning from North America, South America, The Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and from within Europe itself [1,2]

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

According to
one study*, around
40% (n=2,119/5,009) of travellers returning with dengue were hospitalised3

(A very small percentage [<1% (n=46/5,009)] of patients in this study had severe dengue) [3]

*Data from US based study

From 2000-2011 studies reported dengue as being the leading cause of febrile illness among ill travellers returning from Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.[4] Approximately 1% (n=46/5,009) of travellers who were infected developed severe dengue, it was fatal in about 0.3% (n=18/5,009) of cases (2010–2017) [3]

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Dengue is 2nd only to Malaria in Europe

As the febrile illness
causing most hospitalisations
after return from abroad[5]

Although uncommon, in severe cases the virus can cause
respiratory distress, severe bleeding, persistent vomiting and/or organ impairment[6]

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Your travel patients can be infected by the dengue virus more than once6

The majority of patients infected with dengue will be asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms[6]. However, around 5% of cases can progress to severe dengue[7]. According to one analysis, subsequent dengue virus infections are three times more likely to lead to severe dengue compared to primary infections[8]

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Know the facts. Discuss the risks. Take Action.

Dengue may be more common than you realise.  

It is now the most prevalent and rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide, with a 30-fold increase in cases reported over the past 50 years. [9, 10, 11]

30-fold increase in cases reported over the past 50 years

What is dengue?

The virus responsible for causing dengue is called dengue virus (DENV), which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.[6]

These mosquitoes (mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) can transmit each of the four different dengue virus serotypes.[6]

Why is this important? 

Because it means that travellers could be at risk of contracting dengue more than once – while most infections are mild or asymptomatic, secondary infection with a different serotype can increase the risk of developing severe disease. [6, 8]

It’s time to talk to travellers about dengue 

Download this free factsheet to help you to answer the most common queries about dengue

Download now
A doctor talking to his patient

Where is dengue?

Find detailed information and a country-by-country breakdown on dengue prevalence.

Explore the tool

Understand the risks

Make sure you understand the risks to your travellers, who is at higher risk of severe dengue.

See the risks

Prevent and protect

Learn how you can help to prevent the spread and protect your travellers.

Prevent dengue

Protect your travellers

Want to know more how to protect your travellers from dengue?

Sign up to TakedaID

GB & NI: Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information can be found at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard.

ROI: Adverse events should be reported to the Pharmacovigilance Unit at the Health Products Regulatory Authority. Reporting forms and information can be found at: www.hpra.ie. 

GB, NI and ROI: Adverse events should also be reported to Takeda UK Ltd at: AE.GBR-IRL@takeda.com 

References

  1. Gwee, X.W.S., Chua, P.E.Y. & Pang, J. Global dengue importation: a systematic review. BMC Infect Dis 21, 1078 (2021).  
  2. Gossner CM, et al. Dengue virus infections among European travellers, 2015 to 2019. Euro Surveil. 2022;27(2):2001937.  
  3. Rivera A, et al. Travel-Associated and Locally Acquired Dengue Cases - United States, 2010-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(6):149–154.  
  4. Tozan Y, et al. A Prospective Study on the Impact and Out-of-Pocket Costs of Dengue Illness in International Travellers. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2019;100(6):1525–1533.  
  5. World Health Organization. Dengue around the world. Available at: https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/234198/Dengue-in-the-WHO-European-Region.pdf [Accessed April 2023].   
  6. WHO. Dengue and severe dengue factsheets. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue [Accessed April 2023].   
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dengue Symptoms. https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/symptoms/index.html [Accessed April 2023]  
  8. Tsheten T, et al. Clinical predictors of severe dengue: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Infect Dis Poverty. 2021;10(1):123.  
  9. Yang X, et al. Global burden for dengue and the evolving pattern in the past 30 years. J Travel Med. 2021;28(8):taab146.   
  10. Biswal S, et al. Efficacy of a Tetravalent Dengue Vaccine in Healthy Children and Adolescents. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(21):2009–2019.  
  11. Guzman MG, et al. Dengue infection. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016 ;2:16055.  

C-APROM/GB/DENV/0018 | Date of preparation: May 2023