2024-08-08 22:00:00
Dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses are typical tropical diseases caused by arboviruses. These viruses are regularly imported into French territory by travelers (imported cases) and can then be transmitted to new people via tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus).
West Nile Virus (English: West Nile Virus) is also an arbovirus, but it is mainly transmitted by Culex mosquitoes. Birds are the primary reservoir of West Nile virus, but humans, horses and other vertebrates are also susceptible to infection through mosquito bites.
The mosquito-borne activity period for these diseases began on May 1, and since 2023, there has been a sharp increase in imported dengue fever cases in Hong Kong.
As with all these viruses, a proportion of infections are asymptomatic (20% to 80% depending on the virus and the study).
The symptoms of these diseases, if present, are similar (fever, muscle and joint pain), but have some specificities:
Dengue fever: The most common symptoms are fever and joint pain, and complications are rare but can be serious (visceral failure and bleeding). Lasts for weeks or even months. However, the virus can cause severe neurological damage (meningitis, encephalitis, and meningoencephalitis) in 1% of infections.
What’s the situation like in mainland France?
During the media campaign from May 1, 2024 to August 6, 2024, the following viruses were detected in mainland France:
979 imported dengue cases, 10 imported chikungunya cases, 2 imported Zika cases
As of August 7, 2024, cases of indigenous arbovirus transmission have also been detected:
1 local case of dengue fever in Occitanie province1 2 local cases of dengue fever in the city of Paca1 1 local case of chikungunya in Île-de-France3 2 local cases of West Nile virus infection in the city of Paca
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How to organize arbovirus surveillance?
Surveillance is based on mandatory declarations, reporting any biologically recorded cases, whether imported or indigenous. Each report is prepared by doctors and laboratories and immediately triggers epidemiological and entomological investigations.
Epidemiological surveillance can reduce the risk of transmission outbreaks or even epidemics caused by these viruses. Once an arbovirus case is detected, epidemiological and entomological investigations are triggered to rapidly initiate vector control measures to limit the risk of local spread of the virus.
Vector control measures will be intensified when local cases (people who have not recently traveled to areas where the virus is circulating and have been exposed to local contamination) are detected.
Health professionals play a central role in the surveillance and control of arboviruses.
Their contributions include:
Disseminate prevention messages to patients, especially on how to avoid mosquito bites.
In the event of an indigenous outbreak, these reports also make it possible to secure products of human origin (blood transfusions, transplants, etc.).
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What steps should you take to protect yourself from mosquitoes?
In areas where infected mosquitoes are likely to spread, the correct actions to take to protect yourself and avoid mosquito bites are:
Wear loose, covering clothing; use skin repellent; use mosquito nets outdoors;
After returning from an area or country where cases have been reported, it is recommended to:
If you develop symptoms (joint pain, muscle pain, headache, rash with or without fever, conjunctivitis, etc.), consult a doctor; avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, thereby infecting new mosquitoes and infecting others.
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