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Dengue Fever in El Salvador
Updated: June 27, 2002
Health Canada is monitoring increased dengue fever (DF) activity in
El Salvador, where the disease is known to occur. At this time, the departments
of San Salvador, Libertad, Santa Ana and Cabanas are particularly affected.
Dengue fever (DF) is an acute viral illness of varying severity. It
is caused by one of the four strains, or serotypes, of dengue flaviviruses.
Dengue fever is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Aedes
aegpyti, the most common mosquito species that transmits the dengue
virus, is a day-time biter and lives in close proximity to humans in
urban areas.
As of 15 June, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World
Health Organization (WHO) have reported 1,200 confirmed cases of dengue
and 101 confirmed cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever. Children between
5 and 9 years of age are the most affected. Dengue serotype 1 has been
reported, a new development given that for the past 7 years only dengue
serotype 2 had been reported in the country.
The government of El Salvador is actively responding to the current
outbreak with control activities including day and night spraying of
mosquito breeding sites and increased public health education efforts.
Sources: PAHO, WHO
Recommendations
Health Canada strongly recommends that Canadian travellers seek an individual
risk assessment consultation with their personal physician or a travel
medicine clinic to determine their personal risks. Health Canada further
recommends that travellers to countries where DF activity is high take
personal insect precautions to avoid being bitten during the day.
For more Health Canada recommendations about the prevention of DF, visit
the Travel Medicine Program's Disease Information Backgrounder on
dengue fever at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/info/dengue_e.html.
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