Heat and rainy seasons increase the risk of the proliferation of dengue-carrying mosquitoes; Know the symptoms and learn how to protect yourself

February 27, 2024 – 08:40
arboviruses chikungunya rains dengue prevention zika

The first months of the year have a higher incidence of rain in Ceará

The risk of proliferation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits diseases such as dengue, zika and chikungunya, increases with the heat and the arrival of the rainy season in Ceará. Therefore, arboviruses continue to be a challenge for public health, especially in the first half of the year, with the scenario of hot days and precipitation in the region. Although the scenario, at the moment, is not one of alert and high numbers, as in the rest of the country, experts from the State Health Department (Sesa) provide guidance on symptoms and ways to combat the mosquito.

The executive secretary of Health Surveillance at Sesa, Antonio Silva Lima Neto (Tanta), explains that the disease can be classified as dengue, dengue with warning signs and severe dengue, with clinical symptoms that include muscle pain, fever, malaise, weakness, headache and red spots on the body. “In severe cases, patients generally experience intense abdominal pain, vomiting or mucosal bleeding,” he adds.

After signs of infection, the recommendation is to look for a health unit closer to home. “The health professional is the one who will investigate and classify the clinical condition according to the protocol defined by the Ministry of Health”, explains Tanta.

That’s what happened to Alana Cajazeiras, 38, four years ago. “I had a fever, weakness and a lot of pain in my body and head. I felt without energy, without appetite. I’ve had dengue fever three times, and the last one was the worst of all. The symptoms manifested themselves very intensely and I had to go to an emergency room. I was medicated for the pain and took the test to confirm the clinical picture. The treatment was rest and hydration,” she says.

Alana had dengue fever three times and therefore takes extra care to prevent the spread of mosquitoes

“After this episode, I became more vigilant about mosquitoes. We need to avoid the accumulation of water, even in periods without rain. You can’t relax with breeding sites. In addition, I also usually use electric repellents to help combat Aedes aegypti”, he reports.

These daily precautions serve to prevent mosquito infestation and thus reduce the risk of disease transmission. “People have the autonomy to search for and eliminate domestic breeding sites, avoiding the accumulation of water in unprotected deposits. The reduction in infestations has a direct impact on the reduction in cases of arboviruses”, explains the coordinator of Epidemiological Surveillance and Health Prevention (Covep) at Sesa, Ana Cabral.

Adding sand to the plant dish prevents stagnant water from accumulating

Climatic factors

Climatic conditions are related to the transmission of dengue, zika and chikungunya. Ana Cabral says that when a territory presents a scenario of rain and rising temperatures, typical of a tropical climate, the environment becomes more conducive to the proliferation of the transmitting mosquito. “The seasonality of arboviruses occurs in the first half of the year, so the highest proportion of cases occurs in this period. Despite the weather conditions, it is possible to have case records throughout the year,” she comments.

Climatic conditions are related to the transmission of dengue, zika and chikungunya

“Dengue is an endemic disease in Ceará, with two predominant serotypes circulating (DENV1 and DENV2). Therefore, Sesa continues to monitor the scenario, even in times of low transmission, to guide necessary measures such as issuing alert letters to municipalities with high incidences, promoting strategic meetings to control the disease, among other actions”, he lists .

Numbers

Data relating to cases of arboviruses in Ceará are now available for consultation by the population in Sesa’s IntegraSUS system. Check out the link here. Dengue cases registered last year (14,066 confirmed) point to a reduction of 64.6% compared to the year 2022 (39,764). Also according to data from IntegraSUS this Monday (26), 3,146 cases of dengue were reported in Ceará, with 384 confirmations.

>>> Number of arbovirus cases updated daily in new IntegraSUS panel

“The decrease in cases is promising. Evidently, because it’s February, we can’t celebrate yet. We have little rain and a low infestation. The scenario may eventually change. The Northeast has long lived with the infestation of the most common serotypes in the country. We may have localized outbreaks, but we expect lower case numbers than those in other states that have large epidemics”, concludes epidemiologist and executive secretary, Antonio Silva Lima Grandson (Tanta).