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20 January 2022

First autochthonous dengue outbreak in Italy, August 2020

Lazzarini L, Barzon L, Foglia F et al. First autochthonous dengue outbreak in Italy, August 2020. Euro Surveill 2020; 25: 2001606

First autochthonous dengue outbreak in Italy, August 2020

Cases of dengue in Europe are typically due to travel from endemic countries. Lazzarini et al. reported the first autochthonous outbreak of dengue in Vicenza in Northeast Italy, where Aedes albopictus mosquitos are endemic.

Lazzarini et al. reported the first autochthonous outbreak of dengue in Vicenza in Northeast Italy, where Aedes albopictus mosquitos are endemic.

The first case was a 30-year old woman who had visited Indonesia, returning home 16 months later (via Djakarta). On arrival (27 July 2020), she began a 14-day quarantine as per national COVID-19 guidance. Three days later, she developed malaise, fever, upper limb pruritus, and back pain, but tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and her symptoms resolved. 

Five of seven household contacts (Cases 2–6, ranging from pre-school [n=1], to adults in their 20s [n=2] or fifties [n=2]) developed similar symptoms between 16–18 August, which resolved. 

After Case 3 reported a family member (first case) had similar symptoms on return from Indonesia, she was tested for SARS-CoV-2 and five other viruses. Case 3 tested positive for dengue serotype 1 (DENV-1) and DENV NS1 antigen.

The remaining five cases also had dengue. 

In conclusion, during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients living in areas with competent vectors (Ae. albopictus) should be screened if they develop acute fever after traveling from (dengue) endemic countries.

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.36.2001606#html_fulltext

 

VV-MEDMAT-47969


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