2024-03-22 23:43:59
The dengue epidemic It is growing and there is all kinds of data to prove it. From the empirical ones, with the public and private guards of the AMBA overwhelmed by queries to the cold data of the last National Epidemiological Bulletin available that indicate that – so far in 2024 – 102,898 cases have been registered in 19 provinces. If compared to the same period in 2023, cases multiplied by 11. And in the “2023/2024 season” 79 deaths from dengue were recorded. Climatic factors also allow us to hypothesize that all these numbers will continue to worsen In the next weeks.
“In Argentina, the current situation has already far exceeded the records of the 2015/16 and 2022/23 epidemics. And it is a true public health problem for the entire Latin American region,” he told PROFILE the biologist Marina Leporace, from the Science and Technology team of the Barceló Foundation and a researcher who works on issues of mosquitoes and disease vectors. And she recalled that “in fact, in mid-February, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert due to the increase in dengue cases.” In that alert, PAHO reiterated the call to intensify mosquito control actions Temples of the Egyptians, the main transmitting vector.
What are the causes of this situation? Partly the climate situation with abundant rain and high average temperatures, two factors that facilitate the reproduction, in large numbers, of the insect responsible for spreading the virus by biting people while seeking to feed.
This year’s meteorological trends “made it easier” for the epidemic to “get ahead” in chronological time. “Historically, we recorded the peaks of infections in mid-March or April. This year the cycles were several weeks earlier. This shift gives us uncertainty and allows us to imagine that cases will continue to grow for a few weeks.”
Not only do abundant rains provide more shelter for females to lay their eggs, but high average temperatures allow them to complete the maturation cycle and allow new litters of mosquitoes to fly, bite and spread any of the four viral serotypes that adopts dengue.
On the other hand, Leporace warns that in recent years these mosquitoes have disappeared adapting to resist lower temperatures. “There are scientific publications that report that mosquitoes were found “living” in latitudes as far south as in the city of San Antonio Oeste, in the province of Río Negro.”
On the other hand, the researcher drew attention to an essential point for the prevention of dengue. “Although there is a lot of talk about removing debris and the necessary cleaning of patios and gardens, thinking about pots and containers that accumulate water. But we must not forget that inside the houses there can also be Aedes larvae growing. I have found in the dish drainer or in the place where the water falls from the dispenser. In other words, you have to empty and clean all types of spaces where there is accumulated water.”
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They debate over the vaccine
Another of the points debated this week – on which even the experts themselves do not agree – is that of the preventive vaccine, the use of which was approved by the ANMAT in Argentina a few months ago. According to the opinion of some experts and infectious disease specialists, it does not make sense, for now, to apply it en masse, at this time. The central argument is that two doses, separated by three months, are needed for the body to mount lasting immunity against the virus.
These types of arguments are presented by experts such as the infectologist from the Eduardo López Children’s Hospital and the CABA health minister, Fernán Quirós. According to this reasoning, only in the middle of winter – when there are no more mosquitoes – would those vaccinated have immunity, Quirós told PROFILE a couple of weeks ago.
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But other experts, such as Roberto Debaggpresident of the Latin American Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, remember that “a few days after the first dose the body generates immunity. The second is necessary for that immunity to last for at least five years. But with the first we would already be protecting many people develop complications.
This debate extends to other points, regarding whether it is necessary to add this vaccine to the national mandatory schedule. López affirms that the issue still needs to be analyzed in detail because, for example, in the Patagonian provinces there are practically no cases because there are no mosquitoes. So, should these also be a general vaccine and applied to everyone? It is worth noting that the National Immunization Commission (CoNaIn), the technical body that evaluates these issues, has not yet issued a ruling on this issue. Dr. Mario Russo, Minister of Health of the Nation, in a recent article with the newspaper La Nación, stated “in the coming months we will define whether vaccination (against dengue) will be implemented in the next season.”
CABA enabled fever care units in 18 hospitals
Given the great delays seen in the city’s hospital wards, the GCBA Hospital Network set up 18 care centers for febrile patients. “It is important to clarify that we provide special attention to those who have febrile symptoms. We set up independent circuits in all hospitals, as with Covid. The guards continue to attend to other consultations, on a regular basis,” explained the Minister of Health, Fernan Quiros.
The new centers are dedicated exclusively to care for patients with suspected and confirmed dengue.
The protocol indicates that the patient is registered, examined, and undergoes laboratory studies to analyze platelet levels and thus diagnose the level of severity. And within 48 hours a re-evaluation of the person is carried out. The hospitals with these units are: Piñero, Durand, Rivadavia, Fernandez, Pirovano, Enrique Tornu, Alvarez, Cecilia Grierson, Muñiz, Argerich, Zubizarreta, Santojanni, Ramos Mejia, Velez Sarsfield, Maria Ferrer, Penna and the pediatricians: Gutierrez and Pedro de Elizalde . . . .
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