Exotic Mosquito Virus Is Rapidly Expanding In The United States

A traditionally tropical disease is quickly gaining a larger foothold in the United States, as an alarming number of locally acquired cases of dengue fever have cropped up in recent weeks.

Centered primarily in Florida, where the mosquitoes that carry the virus are common, the mosquito-borne virus has been detected in at least 95 cases since July — in Hillsborough County, Florida, alone. In at least one recent case, the virus proved deadly for an elderly woman, according to her doctors. The Florida Department of Health has not yet confirmed that her death was dengue-related.

Officials in Florida have warned the public to take steps to avoid mosquito bites whenever possible — and to take extra steps to avoid being bitten if they know they have been infected, since a mosquito that bites an infected person could then carry dengue to the next person it bites.

Paolo Pecora, a senior environmental scientist with Hillsborough County, warned local residents to check their homes and properties regularly for standing water, which is where mosquitoes breed.

“It takes everyone to help this problem,” Pecora said. “It’s right there behind your backdoor. It’s right there at the corner of your house; it’s behind your shed; it’s behind the brush in the shade after you washed the dog, or it’s an old dog bowl or cat bowl.”

He also warned those who have been infected against going out whenever possible: “Don’t be a host reservoir for the virus. Stay at home, get medical professionals, and contact us. We can do a domestic investigation and treat your yard for free.”

Dengue fever, more commonly known as “breakbone fever” for the extreme deep-bone pain often felt by those infected, is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes — mainly Aedes aegypti, a species that is fairly common in Florida and bites during the day, unlike most other species. Aedes mosquitoes can also carry a number of other viruses such as Zika and Yellow Fever. Dengue cannot be transmitted from person-to-person contact.

Patients who contract dengue often experience the rapid onset of symptoms, beginning with a high fever and severe headache, often including pain behind the eyes. There is no specific treatment for dengue other than management of symptoms — for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend rest, fluids, and acetaminophen (Tylenol) to control the fever. Patients should avoid Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) because they present a risk of bleeding — which can also be a complication of dengue.

If the case is determined to be severe — with additional symptoms including belly pain, vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, or extreme restlessness, drowsiness, and irritability — patients are instructed to proceed immediately to an emergency room for care. Severe dengue can develop in just a few hours, so patients are cautioned to track symptoms carefully and seek medical intervention when necessary.

There are no vaccines for dengue in the United States, although some are in development in other countries. There was a vaccine approved in 2019, but it was only given to patients between the ages of nine and 16 in areas where the disease is endemic — and only to patients who had previously had a documented case of dengue. Giving the vaccine to patients who had not previously had dengue increased the likelihood that they would develop severe disease if infected later.

In addition to its rapid spread in the United States, dengue has been surging around the world over the last several years. According to data compiled by the World Health Organization, there were 505,000 cases of dengue reported in 2000. That number ballooned to more than 14 million in 2024, which was the worst year on record.

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