Can Dengue Fever reach the United States?

Question

That sounds kind of scary.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070929/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/dengue_epidemic

Answer 1

ANY disease can be anywhere in the world in a day or so.

They have these things called airplanes that people can travel great distances in a short amount of time. New invention but I hear it's catching on.

Answer 2

The CDC thinks that dengue fever may already be present in Texas, along part of the Mexican boarder. The mosquito that carries dengue fever is pretty common in most of the US, and there were numerous epidemics of Dengue fever in the US prior to the mid-1940s. Its probably just a matter of time before there is another epidemic, but so what?

To put this thing in perspective, Dengue presently kills a few dozen people each year in the Carribean region, while the common flu kills anywhere from 20,000 to 36,000 people each year in the US, according to the CDC.

Dengue isn't always a big deal. I caught dengue fever when I was in Belieze and it only caused symptoms like the flu, but I know that many people have symptoms that are much worse.

Answer 3

Dengue is transmitted by mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Both of these mosquitoes have been found in the United States, so yes, it is possible that dengue can spread here.

To date, however, dengue occurs principally in the tropics, including the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the tropical islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Answer 4

Last I checked, HAWAII is part of the United States. and yes, Hawaii does have endemic dengue fever.

I'm in Los Angeles, and we get several cases of dengue fever every year. They are exclusively IMPORTED. We don't have dengue endemic to California, but by golly, people sure like to travel.

For what it's worth, no dengue deaths reported.

Answer 5

I believe it can. Latin America is connected to the states and mosquitos can migrate, or be brought here on agricultural products, etc. And, as the first poster said, on airplanes via a human host.But, I must say, there is little sense in worrying over what we cannot control. Scientists and MDs are already focused on this ,I'm sure...at least the CDC.