By Brenda Teiko What’s Dengue anyway? Dengue is a mosquito-borne virus, with four closely related strains that can cause Dengue fever. The virus induces joint pain, fever, skin rashes, and some other really unpleasant symptoms in its victims. It also affects more than 400 million people worldwide each year – that’s more than the population of the United States, Canada, and Australia combined. With that being said, it’s no wonder why the World Health Organization (WHO), are working tirelessly to produce an effective vaccine for this disease. Vaccination Station I know you may be thinking that there’s already a vaccine out there for the Dengue Virus, but unfortunately there is not. As of right now, prevention of the disease is confined to decreasing mosquito habitats and minimizing exposure. Researchers at Sanofi Pasteur created the first registered vaccine in December of 2015. As of April 2016, there are five more vaccines that are undergoing clinical trials in the hope of becoming mainstream vaccines in the near future. Why does any of this matter…at all? As was said earlier, dengue is a serious disease that affects a great number of people worldwide. Even if something does not directly affect us personally, it does not lessen the severity of what is really going on. The production of this vaccine, and others like it, are of public concern because it has the ability to drastically improve the quality of millions of people across the globe. The Call to Action The Dengue virus is spread by the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, who bites mammals for blood to nourish its eggs. This species is most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas, and is also believed to be the cause of the spread of the Zika virus across many parts of the Americas. Even if you don’t live or often travel to warm, humid regions, you’re not off the hook just yet! Since standing water sites are essentially a mosquito’s breeding ground, reducing the number of sites around you or getting rid of them entirely can be very helpful. In addition to that, covering up your exposed skin as much as possible, especially during dawn and dusk, and wearing insect repellent, are other great deterrents against those pesky mosquitoes. Featured Image: "Dengue virus" (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by Sanofi Pasteur |
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