FHI: – Violent increase in dengue fever

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Rising temperatures and an increasing number of city dwellers have led to the world, and particularly South and Central America, becoming aware of the potentially deadly dengue fever.

– There is a tremendous increase in dengue fever at the moment. The mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus belong to the genus Aedes. One of the species in this genus, called the tiger mosquito, has established itself in areas of Europe, mainly around the Mediterranean, Elisabeth Astrup, doctor at the Institute of Public Health (FHI), department for infection control and preparedness, tells Dagbladet.

Over 2000 died

So far this year alone, over five million people have been registered as infected with dengue fever – and over 2,000 people have died from dengue-related illness, according to The European Infection Control Agency (ECDC).

FULL HOSPITALS: People with symptoms of dengue fever queue to receive medical treatment in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires in April this year. Argentina has experienced a sixfold increase in the number of infected people since last year, and shops are running out of mosquito spray. Photo: AFP / NTB Show more

In Argentina, the hospitals are full of people sick with the dengue virus. At the end of March, the number of infected people was 233,000 and a total of 161 dead, according to The Guardian.

– The number of mosquitoes that spread dengue is getting earlier and earlier. This year the disease has spread violently, and we fear that next year will be even worse, says Leda Guzzi, doctor, to .

In Brazil, a field hospital is being built in the capital, Brasilia, to receive patients with dengue fever, writes Economist. Dengue fever is also spreading in Mexico and Central America. Countries such as Uruguay and Chile, which have not registered dengue fever before, have also registered infections.

ANNOYING: Do you ever wonder why mosquitoes are so interested in you? There could be several reasons for that. Video: Faktisk.no Show more

Will spread

Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It has been on the rise in large parts of the world and is today the most common mosquito-borne disease, according to FHI.

– Both mosquito activity and the reproduction of the virus inside the mosquito are temperature dependent. In areas with lower temperatures, there is therefore little risk of viral diseases spread via Aedes mosquitoes establishing themselves and becoming endemic in Europe at the present time, explains Astrup in FHI.

FOLLOWING: The Norwegian Institute of Public Health and doctor Elisabeth Astrup are following the Aedes mosquito, which spreads dengue fever. Photo: Private Show more

It is expected that the tiger mosquito will expand its range. Climate change is a large part of the reason why mosquitoes are spreading: increasing temperatures in general and that there are fewer places in the world with winter temperatures below 15 degrees, which is when mosquitoes die, according to Economist.

– But of course we cannot predict exactly where and how fast the mosquitoes will spread. We expect that the expansion will primarily take place in the Mediterranean basin to the east and west, says Astrup.

Not in Norway

But FHI also expects that larger parts of continental Europe may become more suitable for the dengue mosquito in the coming decades.

– Also in Northern Europe, such as in parts of Germany and the southernmost parts of Great Britain, conditions may become more favorable due to wetter and warmer conditions, says Astrup.

Northern Europe’s cold winters and average annual temperatures appear to be the main limiting factors to the mosquito’s expansion.

– Therefore, it is not expected that this mosquito will settle in Norway any time soon, says Astrup.