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Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and, sometimes causing a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue. Approximately, half of the world’s population is at risk and it affects infants, young children and adults. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years. Up to 50-100 million infections are now estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, putting almost half of the world’s population at risk. Bangladesh is one of the countries that are affected by dengue viruses. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main vector that transmits the virus that causes dengue. The virus is passed to humans through the bites of an infective female Aedes mosquito, which mainly acquires the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person. The full life cycle of dengue fever virus involves the role of mosquitoes as a transmitter (or vector) and humans as the main victim and source of infection.
Between August 12 and 18, 2019 at least 12,000 dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals across the country -- 6,866 of them outside Dhaka. During the first countrywide outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever in Bangladesh, we conducted surveillance for dengue at a hospital in Dhaka. Of 176 patients, primarily adults, found positive for dengue, 60.2% had dengue fever, 39.2% dengue hemorrhagic fever, and 0.6% dengue shock syndrome. The Dengue virus 3 serotype was detected in eight patients. With the number of patients rising, hospitals outside Dhaka are facing huge challenges to cope with the pressure. Also, many upazila health complexes do not have pathology labs, which will put dengue patients in more trouble.
“As there is a huge number of Aedes mosquitos outside Dhaka, using mosquito nets is very important. Or else, it will spread further,” said Prof Kabirul Bashar, an entomologist at Jahangirnagar University.
If a dengue patient does not remain under mosquito nets, and if a non-infected Aedes mosquito bites him, that mosquito will also be infected and will spread the virus, he warned.
‘Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora of the IEDCR said controlling Aedes mosquito at source is the key to reducing the number of dengue patients.’
Mullika Hasan
Department of Environmental Science and Disaster Management
Noakhali Science and Technology University