Tropical disease – Dengue fever cases in Switzerland are increasing again after Corona – News


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Dengue fever, which is transmitted through mosquito bites, is considered a tropical disease: it does not actually occur in this country. But the latest federal statistics make us sit up and take notice.

In just two years, the number of dengue fever cases registered in Switzerland has increased tenfold to 261.

Although there are still only a few cases of dengue fever recorded by the Federal Office of Public Health in its statistics, they are increasing rapidly. In 2021 there were 26 cases across Switzerland.

Legend:

In recent decades, the Asian tiger mosquito has been carried around the world through goods transport and travel – including to Switzerland. Among other things, it can transmit the dengue virus.

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Claudio Zaugg, the responsible section head at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), says that the sharp increase is primarily related to the corona pandemic. “The dengue cases in Switzerland are imported.”

People who travel to areas where dengue occurs would return to Switzerland with the infection, said Zaugg. “With the resumption of travel after the pandemic, travel has also increased and with it cases of dengue.” The increase in dengue fever therefore reflects the resurgence in travel abroad.

On the rise worldwide

Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes – especially in Latin America, Southeast and South Asia and parts of Africa. And: Dengue is on the rise worldwide.

Within ten years, the number of registered cases has increased tenfold. Infections reached a peak last year with five million cases. Experts therefore assume that the number of cases will continue to rise in the coming years.

The dengue cases in Switzerland are imported.

The BAG emphasizes: To date, all Swiss dengue cases have been caused by infections abroad. Even if the transmitting tiger mosquito recently made it to the north side of the Alps.

Theoretically, infection in Switzerland is possible even without traveling if a tiger mosquito bites a sick returnee and passes on the virus. But that is still very unlikely.

This is dengue fever


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According to Andreas Neumayr from the Tropical Institute in Basel, dengue fever is actually a non-specific, feverish illness. “You have a fever, headache and body aches. You basically can’t tell it apart from other viral diseases.”

In English, the disease is also called “Break Bone Fever” – and this name says it all, says Neumayr. “The patient has musculoskeletal pain all over the body, which can also occur with severe influenza.” In addition, a skin rash often develops.

Dengue fever lasts around a week and cannot be treated specifically. There are no medications that can speed up the progression. “As with the flu, the immune system clears this virus from the body at some point – and the symptoms subside,” says Neumayr. However, you often still feel weak afterwards, which can last for several weeks. Most diseases are mild to moderate; severe cases are very rare.

A first infection with the dengue virus is usually not very dangerous. It leads to fever and body aches and is similar to the flu.

Only a second infection can be potentially fatal. The federal government and the cantons are therefore doing everything they can to ensure that the disease does not spread further in Switzerland.

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