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Dengue fever cases reported in Galapagos (August 20, 2002)
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The Directorate of Health on the island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands, has reported six laboratory confirmed and approximately 100 suspected cases of dengue fever as of 8 August 2002 (1). There have so far been no reported cases of dengue haemorrhagic fever, which is a potentially fatal form of the disease. | ||||||||
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is the first report of dengue activity on the islands, which attract
approximately 80,000 tourists a year. It is not yet clear whether
the cases are imported or indigenous. The Ministry of Health have
sent a team to investigate the outbreak and carry out entomological
studies. As of 2 August
2002, the Ministry of Health on mainland Ecuador had reported 344
laboratory confirmed and 5833 suspected cases of dengue fever, including
11 laboratory confirmed and 158 suspected cases of dengue haemorrhagic
fever (2). Dengue serotypes 2 and 3 have both been reported in Ecuador. There are many
types of mosquito living in the tropical and sub-tropical regions
of the world, we can roughly them divide into two groups, CULEX
and AEDES, but perhaps one of the most important is Aedes aegypti.
According to the World Health Organisation, the virus for Dengue
fever is the most important arbovirus to man in the world, and since
Aedes has been found to transmit this virus, it has been widely
studied and blamed as the vector. This mosquito is small in comparison to others, usually between three to four millimetres in length discounting leg length. It is totally black apart from white 'spots' on the body and head regions and white rings on the legs. The thorax is decorated with a white 'Lyre' shape of which the 'chords' are two dull yellow lines. Its wings are translucent and bordered with scales. At rest, the insect turns up its hind legs in a curved fashion and usually cleans them by rubbing one against the other, or exercises them by crossing them and alternately raising and lowering them, this may even be a way of helping digested 'food' along the alimentary canal |
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Dengue Fever in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands: Travel Health ...... Population and Public Health Branch Travel Health Advisory. Dengue Fever in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Health Canada is monitoring ...www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/tmp-pmv/ 2002/df-ecgal_e.html - 13k - 31 Aug 2002 2002 - Dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever in Ecuador... In the Galapagos Islands, 4 cases have now been confirmed by laboratory tests. This is the first reported detection of dengue fever in the Galapagos Islands. ... www.who.int/disease-outbreak-news/n2002/august/16august2002.html - 6k - 31 Aug 2002 Mosquitos and
Dengue Fever |
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