TEHRAN – From the beginning of the current Iranian year, March 21, till September 27, a total of 497 cases of dengue fever have been diagnosed in the country, according to the health ministry.

Chabahar, with 445 infected individuals, has the highest number of cases, of which 25 were travel-associated cases; patients had been infected in Pakistan. Some 43 other cases were detected in Bandar Abbas, of which two had been infected in Pakistan, Borna news agency reported.

Moreover, two cases were reported in Zahedan and two others in Iranshahr. In Tehran and Birjand, one case was reported.

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The disease is transmitted through the bite of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes also transmit the Zika and Chikungunya viruses.

Mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to lay eggs. Bowls, cups, fountains, tires, barrels, vases, and any other container storing water make a great nursery.

Dengue disease has different infectious phases, including the fever phase, critical phase, and recovery phase.

Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus have been recorded in the country.

Aedes aegypti is a more invasive mosquito that is more common in Iran. Due to the physiology of this mosquito, people in contaminated areas are told to wear clothes that cover most parts of their bodies for the first two hours of the morning and two hours before the evening.

Transmission occurs two days before showing symptoms and two days after the fever.

The disease can spread from mosquitoes to humans, from humans to mosquitoes, and from humans to humans through blood transfusion, organ transplant, and mother to child in pregnancy.

The lifespan of Aedes is between one and 4 weeks; they take blood meals every 1 – 2 hours, accounting for 40 to 50 meals throughout their lifespan.

About 40 to 80 percent of patients with dengue have mild or no symptoms. By adhering to sanitation practices, dengue fever cases can be reduced by 70 percent.

Aedes aegypti was first reported in Hormozgan province in 2019. Now, the mosquito is found in Hormozgan, Sistan-Baluchestan (Chabahar and Konarak), Bushehr, and Fars provinces.

The other species, Aedes albopictus, has been observed in the northern and north-western provinces, including Gilan, Mazandaran, Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, and Zanjan.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about half of the world’s population is now at risk of dengue, with an estimated 100–400 million infections occurring each year

Prevention and control of dengue rely on vector control. There is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue, and early detection and access to proper medical care greatly lower fatality rates of severe dengue.

Wearing clothes that cover most parts of the body, like socks, long-sleeved clothes, and long pants, and using insect repellent when traveling to the provinces at risk, which are mainly southern cities, can help prevent dengue.

MT/MG