Travel Medicine Update

Dengue is a viral illness transmitted by the mosquito Aedes egyptii.

Between 3-8% of Dengue victims will develop severe diseases, with hemorrhagic or shock like findings. Previous exposure to a dengue serotype has been associated with dengue hemorrhagic shock syndrome. The pathology of dengue shock continues to be a mystery.

Now it has been shown that bacterial products are also involved in this shock syndrome. Perhaps bacterial translocation is important in other severe viral illnesses, such as Ebola and Chikungunya syndromes, which we will cover in future posts.

Click here for the complete article by ven de Weg et al. 2013.