Potential Risk for Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever: The Isolation of Serotype Dengue-3 in Mexico

Abstract

The Americas have a long history of dengue epidemics which present public health problems because of the potential emergence of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Efforts to control Aedes aegypti—the only demonstrated vector of dengue virus in the Americas—were effectively deployed in the 1950s and 1960s when the Pan American Health Organization launched a continental eradication campaign against yellow fever. Aedes aegypti was eliminated in Mexico in 1963. However subsequent social and economic changes in the Americas have permitted the rapid reinfestation of the vector throughout the region. In Mexico population movement from rural areas to urban centers—brought about by intensive industrialization —were notmatched with adequate housing and sufficient water sewage and waste management systems. The introduction and proliferation of nonrecyclable products provided numerous and effective breeding sites for urban mosquitoes. For example from 1960 to 1990 the annual production of bottles in Mexico increased from 500000 to 3.5 million and the annual production of tires increased from 2 to 17 million. Tourism and travel promoted as essential to the national economy have also become important mechanisms for transporting dengue viruses. Additionally surveillance prevention and control programs lack the infrastructure and human resources needed to tackle this neglected health problem. Millions of people living in the tropical and subtropical areas of the region face the reemergence of dengue and DHF. (excerpt)