Dengue, cases are rising in Italy: the circular from the Ministry of Health
“Put in place all useful measures to limit the risk of any further transmission to humans in situations where population gatherings take place for sporting events, especially when these take place in areas at risk (due to the presence of the vector), at close to areas where the multiplication of mosquitoes occurs more frequently, or during daily walks by domestic animals, especially near green patches, marshy areas, watercourses, buildings that may give shelter to adult mosquitoes or during the hours of particular vector density etc”. This is what is stated in a circular from the Ministry of Health sent to the Regions, veterinarians, zooprophylactic institutes, but also to national sports federations, the equestrian sports federation and the Anci association of municipalities.
The proliferation of mosquitoes is favored by mild temperatures
The circular – signed by the General Director of Prevention Francesco Vaia and the General Director of Animal Health Pierdavide Lecchini – underlines how “in Italy, in this period in which the climatic temperatures” which favor the proliferation of vectors, generally mosquitoes (as reservoirs of certain viruses), positivity for Dengue continues to emerge both in subjects returning from other countries where the disease is endemic, and in individuals who do not have a correlation with travel to endemic countries and for whom autochthonous transmission of the virus is reported”. And remember that “Dengue is caused by the virus Denv which is transmitted to humans through the bite of the genus mosquito Aedes albopictus“. And that “the regions most affected are Lombardy, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Piedmont, Veneto”.
Prevention measures against Dengue
Therefore – continues the circular from the Ministry of Health – “it is recommended to provide appropriate and widespread dissemination of information, through direct communication to the customer (in clinics, veterinary or university clinics, etc.) and to the subjects involved or through the use of posters (in riding stables). , in sports areas in general and not only), regarding prevention measures such as: the use of topical repellents (to be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions) and adequate and protective clothing in case of frequenting the places mentioned above; “implementation of forms of effective authorized environmental control against mosquitoes (larvae and adults), if possible, before sporting events or in any case in the situations of establishments or structures most at risk”.
And again: “In the case of environmental control, we invite you to rely on authorized companies that carry out checks on your equipment and the use of authorized disinfestants. Considering that the risk of contracting arbovirosis in general and Dengue in this case depends on knowledge of the information, attitude and correct behavior of each individual, as well as the implementation of vector control activities, please disseminate this note as widely as possible”.
Suspicious symptoms
Finally, we remind you “that in conditions of suspicious symptoms such as: high fever with sudden onset, severe headache and eye pain (retro-orbital), muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, enlarged lymph nodes, skin rash or other, we invite you to promptly contact family doctors and/or pediatricians for appropriate assessments”.
The situation of cases in Italy
The latest Dengue fever bulletin updated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) reports that the number of autochthonous cases (i.e. locally transmitted in Italy) have risen to 76, an increase compared to the 72 notified last week. These cases refer to four unconnected transmission episodes in the province of Lodi (37 confirmed cases), in the province of Latina (2 cases) and in the province of Rome (36 cases with exposures in different parts of the metropolitan city of Rome and 1 case in Anzio, for which investigations are underway to verify any epidemiological links). All cases, whose outcome is known, have recovered or are improving. Since the beginning of the year, 241 cases of Dengue imported from other countries have also been reported, for a total of 317.
