Dengue fever in the Americas: 100,000 cases through February

In 2014, there were more than 1.5 million suspected and confirmed dengue fever cases in the Western hemisphere, including nearly 700 deaths. During the first two months of 2015, the dengue case tally has eclipsed 100,000, according to the most recent Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) data.

Western hemisphere map
Public domain image/ E Pluribus Anthony

Brazil has reported the most cases in the Americas with 72,254 of the 106,465 suspected and confirmed cases, or 68 percent.

Following Brazil in case burden is Colombia, which has seen 11,242 cases to date. Paraguay and Peru have reported in excess of 1,000 cases this year.

Central America and Mexico account for more than 17,500 cases with Mexico (6391), Nicaragua (3823) and Honduras(4302) seeing the most.

Only two countries in the Caribbean have reported more than 100 cases during the first two months of 2015-the Dominican Republic and St. Martin, with 257 and 138 cases, respectively.

The United States has seen five dengue cases, all imported.

Two countries have seen all four dengue fever serogroups-Brazil and Mexico.

Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called "break-bone fever" because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) says on their recent fact sheet that they currently estimate there may be 50-100 million dengue infections worldwide every year, researchers from the University of Oxford and the Wellcome Trust, using cartographic approaches, estimate there to be 390 million dengue infections per year worldwide.

There are three types of dengue fever in order of less severe to most: the typical uncomplicated dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHS) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).

There is not a vaccine for dengue fever. There is no treatment for dengue, just treat the symptoms.