Dengue Fever Outbreak Far Worse Than Swine Flu

While the world quivers over a potential Swine Flu pandemic, a far deadlier outbreak of dengue fever has gone comparatively under-reported in South America and Australia.

Hundreds of thousands have been infected in South America, and in Australia the outbreak is being called the worst seen in 50 years. While the swine flu scare may be an overreaction in comparison, both outbreaks do highlight a clear link between environmental degradation and the spread of disease.

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By the time all is said and done, this year’s dengue fever outbreak in South America might be considered one of the worst viral epidemics ever recorded. In Bolivia alone, there were at least 55,000 suspected cases by mid-April. Paraguay and Argentina were also hard hit, but the disease ran most rampant in Brazil, where a whopping 150,000 people were infected with the life threatening disease.

Meanwhile, in Australia, where there are tighter controls in place to help prevent such outbreaks, over 1,000 people were still confirmed as being infected with dengue fever this year. That surpasses the previous record, which was set way back in 1953. Even more foreboding, the outbreak in 1953 continued for several years, and anecdotal evidence suggests that as many as 15,000 people may have been infected over that period of time. Thus, there are concerns that this year’s outbreak may be an indication of things to come.

As weather cools in the Southern Hemisphere, concerns about the outbreak shift toward the Northern Hemisphere, where the changing seasons could bring similar outbreaks. In fact, just last year there were over one million reported cases of dengue fever in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Pan American Health Organization. If the epidemic in South America is any indication, this summer could be even worse.

Dengue Fever is a mosquito-borne disease which mostly effects those living in lowland tropical regions. Unlike malaria, which is more prevalent in rural areas, dengue fever is spread via mosquitoes that thrive in highly populated urban environments. There are at least four known strains of dengue fever. If a person recovers from one strain, they become immune to that strain only. And in fact, catching one strain is likely to increase the risk of catching one of the others.

The worst form of the fever can cause severe hemorrhaging from the nose and ears, as the disease eats away at the circulatory system and internal organs. Although if diagnosed early the disease is rarely fatal, it does lead to death if left untreated. Furthermore, there are no anti-viral medications for dengue fever.

Reasons for this year’s heightened pandemic are likely linked to global warming and climate change. As temperatures rise and the durations of warmer seasons increase, it allows for a longer and more unpredictable mosquito season. Meanwhile, this year’s headline-grabbing pandemic of swine flu has also been linked to environmental concerns. Deplorable conditions in third world factory farms likely played a crucial role in the spread and development of that disease.

Until those larger environmental concerns are addressed, it’s more likely that outbreaks such as these will continue to increase in frequency.

Image Credit: James Jordan on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

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