Rio de Janeiro’s mayor has just made a worrying announcement. This coming summer Rio is to face its worse dengue fever epidemic in history. The conclusion was reached through the comparison of current and old data. So far this year, and long before the summer months when most cases are recorded, Rio has seen 160,000 cases of dengue fever with 121 deaths.

An informed traveler is the best possible traveler and for that reason we want to refer you once again to our blog post 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil. It was written with the help of a medical specialist on the disease and it contains information on dengue fever.

Thinking of cancelling your trip to Rio because of the upcoming dengue fever epidemic? We don’t feel you should necessarily do that. Get the information and understand the risks associated to dengue fever before you take such decision.

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Facebook

Even if you are not an American citizen, the US government’s CDC website should be your starting point for any consultation on health issues related to your upcoming trip to Brazil. You will find the information under the section Health Information for Brazil.

It contains thorough, reliable and up-to-date information on all health issues, including a section on vaccines and another section on items you might want to bring with you on your trip.

Whenever a new fact emerges the CDC releases a travel notice. On the last few days there have been notices on yellow fever, dengue, H1N1 flu and measles.

——————————
RELATED POSTS:
10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil
10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil
swine flu (H1N1) in Brazil
yellow fever: important update

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Facebook

On 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil, our main entry devoted to dengue fever on this blog, we explained how the dengue epidemic coincides with the rainy season. What with the rainy season well under way, dengue is back to the headlines: Risco de dengue deixa em estado de alerta 17 capitais, diz ministério. Alert on 17 capitals due to the risk of dengue fever. Among the capitals mentioned there are plenty of important tourist destinations such as Aracaju, Belém, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Maceió, Manaus, Natal, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahía, São Luís, Recife or Vitória.

Our advice:

1. Do not panic. Dengue fever is endemic. It appears every year in most of the country.
2. Be informed. Read 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil to know more about the disease and to learn how to prevent becoming a victim of dengue fever.
3. When you reach your destination, seek up-to-date information locally. There isn’t a single online source with up-to-date information on dengue fever on all the destinations mentioned above.

——————————
RELATED POSTS:
10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil
10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil
swine flu in Brazil

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter

Dengue fever is a regular visitor of this blog. If last year it was Rio de Janeiro that suffered a devastating epidemic, this year the bad news come from the state of Bahia. So far this year there have been 26.597 cases, a 291% increase over 2008. 28 deaths have been confirmed and there are another 59 still unconfirmed.

Among the seven cities worst affected by the epidemic there are two tourist destinations: Ilhéus y Porto Seguro.

You have complete information on dengue fever at this blog’s entry 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil.

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email.

The considerable increase in the number of cases of dengue fever in Natal has forced its local authorities to declare state of emergency (Dengue: Prefeito Carlos Eduardo decreta estado de emergência).

In the first three months of 2008 there were 2.568 cases of dengue fever and 272 of hemorrhagic dengue fever, resulting in two deaths (in comparison, in the entire 2007 there were 6.107 cases of dengue fever and 163 of hemorrhagic dengue fever). The number of cases might seem small when compared with Rio de Janeiro, but do bear in mind Natal is considerably smaller than Rio. There are also reasons to suspect the number of deaths might be higher than what the authorities are acknowledging.

At the entry 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil you have the basics of what you need to know about dengue fever. If you are planning a trip to Natal, be informed beforehand. For the time being, we do not recommend cancelling your trips to the region.

We are informing about the situation in Rio at Dengue fever epidemic in Rio.

I’ve posted a similar warning, in Spanish, at Dengue en Natal.

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter

Dengue fever is endemic in Brazil and each year it reaches epidemic proportions. In 2008, dengue fever is being felt in earnest in Rio de Janeiro, where the epidemic is particularly virulent this year. From the beginning of 2008, and only in the capital, there have been more than 50.000 cases of the disease with 51 people dying as a result. In the whole of the Rio de Janeiro state, more than 75.000 cases and 83 deaths [figures updated on April 15]. The public health system has collapsed and health assistance is precarious. The army has been sent it and field hospitals have been set up.

Most cases are concentrated around the capital, Rio de Janeiro. Of all the main tourist destinations on the state of Rio, only Angra dos Reis should be avoided at all costs, as the outbreak is quite virulent there as well. Paraty, Ilha Grande, Búzios, Cabo Frio and Arraial do Cabo are ok.

The situation is not likely to improve until the end of the rainy season, between June and July. You are strongly advise to reconsider a trip to Rio de Janeiro (the city) until the situation has improved considerably. The fact that famous (and wealthy) people have caught dengue fever in the city should give an indication of the size of the problem.

For more information, you are advised to read the post I wrote a few weeks ago: 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil

1. Dengue fever is one of the biggest threats to the health of those living in Brazil and of those visiting the country as well.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever can cause death.

2. Dengue fever is spread throughout most of Brazil.

Contrary to what happens with yellow fever, dengue is present both in rural and urban areas. In many places it occurs in the form of epidemics. From January to November 2007 there were 536,519 cases of dengue fever in Brazil. In the entire 2007, there were 1,541 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever, with 158 deaths. The fight against dengue fever is hindered by precarious hygiene and sanitation standards in most of the country, the insufficient resources made available by the authorities at all levels, and the attitude of part of the population. According to a recent poll, 91% of the population know what needs to be done to erradicate the mosquito than transmits dengue; however, 55% do nothing about it as their neighbours do nothing either.

Google has an online tool that tracks the occurrence of dengue fever cases in Brazil. It can be checked at Dengue trends: Brazil.

3. Cases of dengue fever increase during the rainy season.

The mosquito that transmits dengue fever becomes active with rain and high temperatures. 86% of the cases registered in 2007 occurred between January and May.

4. So far, there is no vaccine against dengue fever.

Primary prevention of dengue fever consists on avoid being bitten by the mosquito that transmits the disease. Cover your exposed skin and your clothes with repellent.

5. Dengue is transmitted through the bite of the Aedes Agypti mosquito.

The fight against dengue is synonym whth the fight against the mosquito. The adult mosquito is middle-sized, dark with white markings on the sides and the upper part of the thorax. It has white rings on its legs. It is found on houses and their vicinities. It needs clean water to deposit its eggs.

6. Dengue fever is not transmitted between humans.

7. There are four serotypes of dengue fever: 1, 2, 3, 4. Type 4 is the only one not found in Brazil.

Update: type 4 has finally made it to Brazil.

8. Two forms of dengue fever are found in Brazil: classic dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever.

On average, symptom manifest between 5 and 6 days after the infection.

The main symptoms of classic dengue fever are high fever (39° to 40°C); severe headache; rashes (bright red on the lower limbs and the chest); muscle and joint pains; nausea and vomiting.

Initially, the symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever are the same as those of classic dengue. After the third or fourth day, hemorrhages appear. It the disease is not treated inmmediately, it can lead to the death of the patient.

If symptoms appears, immediate medical care is need – do go to a hospital or health centre.

9. There is no specific treatment for classic dengue fever.
Aspirins should be avoided as they may favour the appearance of hemorrhages. It is important that the patient prevents dehydration through increased oral fluid intake.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever should be trated in hospital.

10. Dengue fever can be caught more than once (although it will never be the same type). Those who have contracted dengue fever in the past should be extra careful as dengue hemorrhagic fever seems to develop almost exclusively on patients that had had classic dengue fever before.

MORE INFORMATION:

Combata a Dengue. Website of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, in Portuguese only. Given the size of the problem and the fact that dengue fever does not discriminate between residents and visitors, one would have expected a more proactive attitude from Brazilian authorities when it came to informing tourists about the risks of dengue fever. I haven’t found any mention of dengue fever on the Brazil Tourism Portal, also belonging to the Brazilian government.

One wonders what are the reasons behind this silence and reaches the conclusion that the authorities want to avoid at all costs associating yet another negative issue to the image of a country already blemished by violence, precarious infrastructures and lack of tourist information. If a blogger with no financial support and the collaboration of a doctor can write a entry like the one you are reading now, why shouldn’t a government be able to do something similar?

The U.S. government’s CDC Dengue Fever Fact Sheet can be consulted for further information in English.

This entry has been entirely written with the medical supervision of dr. Gustavo R. Bonzón, to whom we are grateful for this co-operation. Any mistakes contained in the text are the sole responsibility of the blog.

——————————
RELATED POSTS:
dengue fever alert: state of Bahia (2009)
Dengue fever epidemic in Rio (2008)
Dengue fever in Natal (2008)

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email.

It’s on the news: there’s a virulent outbreak of dengue fever in Ubatuba – as well as in other less visited points of the coast of São Paulo, such as Itanhaém. A few minutes ago, a specialist on dengue gave her advice: do not travel to the area. If you really have to, be very careful and remember that the only prevention against dengue is avoiding being bitten by the mosquito that carries the disease. Dengue fever is the topic of an entry on this blog.

This year’s dengue epidemic is particularly virulent. Only last week 37,000 new cases of dengue fever were registered by the authorities – most of them in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

SEE ALSO:
- 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil
- Dengue fever epidemic in Rio
- Dengue fever in Natal

UPDATE: 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil

With the arrival of the tropical summer, dengue fever returns to the headlines. This year’s dengue epidemic is particularly virulent. 2006 registered more than 300.000 cases. This year there have been outbreaks everywhere, with special concern for the one in Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul)

Here I cross-refer you to the text I wrote on disease. And would like to take the opportunity once more to remember to fundamental issues regarding dengue: there is no prophylaxis other than avoiding being biten by the mosquito Aedes aegpyti, carrier of the disease; dengue symptoms appear between three and seven days after the bite, and include discomfort, lack of appetite, headaches and muscular pain, and in the most serious cases, nose bleeding. Red spots on the skin can appear, as well as intense backache.

Visitors to Brazil should try to minimise the risk of mosquito bites by covering up at dawn & dusk, using insect repellent liberally & sleeping under mosquito nets. It is also important for all visitors to Brazil to have travel insurance with comprehensive medical cover.

——————————
RELATED POSTS:
Dengue fever epidemic in Rio
Dengue fever in Natal

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter

The biggest health problem, for which there is no preventive treatment, is dengue fever. The disease is widespread, and it is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. In recent years, there have been massive outbreaks of dengue fever in regions of the states of Rio, São Paulo, and most recently, Mato Grosso do Sul. Typical syntomps include high fever, headache, muscular pain, nausea and vomit.

As there is no vaccine against dengue, the only advice that can be given is to avoid being bitten by the mosquito (easier said than done). The mosquito lives in places where there are pools of clean water (for instance, in discarded tyres).

To obtain information on other health problems, including malaria and yellow fever, you are advised to get in touch with a doctor.

SEE ALSO:
- 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil
- 10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil
- Health care
- Vaccines
- Dengue fever epidemic in Rio
- Dengue fever in Natal

subscribe to the Brazil Travel Blog by Email
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Twitter
follow the Brazil Travel Blog on Facebook