Dengue fever: 10 locally-acquired cases reported in Tampa Bay

TAMPA, Fla. - Health officials are increasing mosquito control efforts across parts of the Tampa Bay area following a jump in locally acquired dengue fever cases.

Tampa Bay dengue cases

What we know

The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County announced an eighth confirmed locally-acquired case of dengue, while Pinellas County health officials have reported two locally-acquired cases.

Both counties remain on alert as mosquito control teams increase surveillance and treatment.

Locally-acquired cases mean the infections were transmitted by mosquitoes in the area rather than associated with travel.

Undetected spread and testing

Why it matters

Dengue is spread through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is particularly concerning because it is active during the daytime, can breed in small amounts of standing water commonly found around homes, and thrives in neighborhoods.

"It's a container breeder, which, unfortunately, means it likes to breed in things like buckets, planters, even trash you left out, maybe a kid's toy that gets left upside down," said Gabriela Henderson with Hillsborough County Mosquito Services.

Henderson says even something as small as a bottle cap can become a breeding container for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. 

Adding to the challenge of combatting Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, Pinellas County officials say traditional adulticide treatments and aerial larviciding treatments are not effective in targeting these species.

Neighborhood prevention steps

What you can do

Officials say one of the most effective steps residents can take is checking their property for standing water and dumping it out.

That includes water collected in buckets, flowerpots, toys, tires, grill and pool covers, coolers and other containers. Even small amounts can provide a place for mosquitoes to breed.

Residents should also:

• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting long sleeves and pants when possible.
• Use an EPA-registered mosquito repellent with an effective ingredient such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Repair damaged screens on windows and doors.
• Regularly dump or cover anything around the home that can collect rain or sprinkler water.

"The biggest thing you can do is look for that standing water around your home," Henderson said.

Recognizing dengue fever symptoms

What are the symptoms of dengue?

Dengue can cause a flu-like illness that includes fever, severe muscle and joint pain and, in some cases, a rash. Symptoms generally develop within about two weeks of being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Dengue is not spread directly from person to person through ordinary contact.

Henderson said people who feel sick after recently being bitten by mosquitoes should tell their doctor.

"If you're feeling under the weather, you notice you've been bit by mosquitoes recently, it's worth mentioning to your doctor because they can then give the proper test," Henderson said. "We work closely with the health department so they will be alerted, and then we are alerted as well."

Pinellas County virus tracking

What's being done

Hillsborough County's health department and mosquito management teams say they are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts, including spraying, to reduce mosquito activity.

In Pinellas County, mosquito control crews have increased inspections and treatments following the two confirmed cases. The county says crews are conducting daytime backpack fogging, daily surveillance and door-to-door inspections in affected areas.

Pinellas County is also increasing mosquito control efforts because surveillance has detected an uptick in West Nile virus activity in sentinel chickens, which are used as an early warning system for mosquito-borne viruses.

The county says no human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Pinellas County so far this year.

You can learn more about mosquito control efforts in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties via the following links.
 

Health