Breakbone fever again

Apr 19, 2005

The CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal for May 2005 includes a section of articles and papers on dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever, something I’ve been interested in since Erin and I encountered dengue in Vanuatu.

From Persistent Emergence of Dengue, I read this:

Although it is not usually recognized, more than half the people who are infected with a dengue virus may be asymptomatic, which would indicate a substantial underreporting of infections. These comprise a substantial number of people who may have been primed for more serious illness at a later date and are unaware of their situation.

Through a mechanism known as immune enhancement, sequential infections with certain dengue viruses set the stage for a far more serious complication, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome, so that having uncomplicated DF can presage having DHF.

Which means when I go back to Vanuatu (soon, please, soon), I cannot get bit by a single Aedes mosquito.

Anton Zuiker ☄