[Dengue fever: outbreak in southern Europe?]

Area of Science:

• * Tropical Medicine: Focuses on the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of infectious diseases.
• * Virology: Investigates viral evolution and its impact on disease patterns.
• * Public Health: Examines disease surveillance, outbreak detection, and control strategies.

Context:

• * Dengue fever epidemiology is undergoing significant global changes, with rising incidence and increased severity.
• * Hemorrhagic and shock syndromes are now reported more frequently beyond Southeast Asia, affecting both children and adults.
• * Potential contributing factors include viral, host, vector, and socio-economic modifications.

Purpose:

• * To highlight the dramatic epidemiological shifts in dengue fever worldwide.
• * To underscore the increasing frequency of severe dengue manifestations (hemorrhagic and shock syndromes).
• * To emphasize the role of advanced laboratory diagnostics in dengue surveillance and control.

Summary:

• * Worldwide dengue incidence is rising, with more severe clinical presentations like hemorrhagic and shock syndromes.
• * These severe forms are increasingly observed outside endemic Southeast Asian regions.
• * Advancements in laboratory diagnostics, such as MAC-ELISA and molecular biology assays, are crucial.

Impact:

• * Enhanced diagnostic capabilities facilitate early detection of dengue outbreaks and assessment of disease burden.
• * These tools enable the evaluation of socio-economic impacts and the effectiveness of public health interventions.
• * Improved strategies are essential to combat the escalating threat of dengue in the 21st century.