Global warming means 1 in 2 of us are now at risk of dengue fever

Climate change means that mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, chikungunya and dengue fever are on the rise in Europe. As the earth warms, diseases once confined to the tropics are now spreading worldwide.

Dengue fever is a deadly viral infection that causes a severe flu-like illness. The incidence of dengue fever has increased 30-fold over the past 50 years, according to the WHO. world health organizationIt is currently estimated that up to 100 million people are infected each year in over 100 endemic countries, putting almost half of the world’s population at risk.

There is strong evidence that global warming is causing malaria-carrying mosquitoes to move away from the tropics to higher ground. Over the past 100 years, every year the range of the Anopheles mosquito has increased by about 6.5 m per year, and he is 4.7 km away from the equator.

this meaning Countries that have long eradicated mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue will need to take urgent action to curb the spread of mosquitoes.and the quest for ways to control it egyptian temple There is an increasing need to control the mosquitoes that spread dengue fever and to develop vaccines to prevent infection.

global warming

Dengue usually develops 4 to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. A high fever is usually accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting, joint and bone pain. Infection can progress to severe dengue when the fever subsides, but patients develop persistent vomiting, bleeding gums, and severe abdominal pain.

Dengue fever is endemic in most countries in Central America, South America and the Caribbean, but climate change is expanding the areas where mosquitoes can live.Cases are rising in countries like Europe France and Spain.

there is strong evidence Global warming has already moved malaria-carrying mosquitoes away from the tropics to higher ground. Over the past 100 years, every year the range of the Anopheles mosquito has increased by about 6.5 m per year, and he is 4.7 km away from the equator.

climate change is causing big shift Changes in temperature and precipitation change the range that mosquitoes can live in. this is, gain Up to 25% more deaths from yellow fever by 2050.

Diffusion control

Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are active at night, so encouraging people to sleep under mosquito nets can be very effective in preventing transmission. However, dengue-carrying mosquitoes are active at all hours of the day and night, so mosquito nets are of little use.

One method being tested to control the disease is Wolbachia Bacteria that stop insects from transmitting viruses. These mosquito releases have been tested in specific cities in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Controlled trial in YogyakartaIndonesia showed that this method can reduce the incidence of dengue fever by 77%.

Currently, the World Mosquito Program (WMP) Said Over the next decade, these modified mosquitoes will be released into urban areas of Brazil with the aim of protecting up to 70 million people. A “mosquito factory” has been established in Brazil, which is expected to begin operations in 2024 and produce up to 5 billion modified mosquitoes per year.

Hope for a vaccine?

The development of a dengue fever vaccine is in trouble. Sanofi his Pasteur said in 2015 he obtained Dengvaxia approval, which actually increased rates of severe dengue and hospitalization in people who had never had dengue before vaccination. . Therefore, it is now only available for people with confirmed dengue infection.

Encouragingly, there are two new live attenuated dengue vaccines that have completed Phase 3 efficacy trials.Japanese company Takeda receives approval Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, and the European Commission two-dose vaccine (TAK-003). In a phase 3 trial, he had an 80.2% vaccine efficacy within 12 months of his second dose.

of second vaccine are from Instituto Butantan, US National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Merck in Butantan-DV, and are similar to previously tested NIH TV003 preparations. The overall efficacy of this vaccine was 79.6%, similar to TAK-003.

People in low-income countries remain at the highest risk, but as hitherto unaffected populations begin to understand the true picture of the world’s epidemics, these diseases could spread to Europe and North America. spread across the world, potentially facilitating vaccine development.