Argentina faces a record level of dengue cases 2:58

(CNN) --

 Dengue cases in America have registered an "exponential increase" in 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said in February. What is dengue and why have cases of this infectious disease exceeded historical figures this year?

What is dengue and where is it common?

Dengue is a mosquito-borne virus that is primarily spread by the 

mosquito , also known to carry other viruses such as yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. US, CDC.

Dengue is endemic in more than 100 countries with tropical and subtropical climates, especially in urban and semi-urban areas, according to the WHO.

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It is also endemic to the US territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

According to CDC data, between 2010 and 2022, more than 33,000 locally acquired cases were reported in the US, 258 of them in Florida.

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But 95% of cases in the U.S. are recorded in Puerto Rico, says Dr. Gabriela Paz-Bailey, chief of the Dengue Branch of the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases at the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. from the CDC. And it's not a surprise.

"It has the perfect climate for it. It's a tropical island," he says. "In fact, there are efforts by the Department of Health and other organizations such as the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit to control dengue in the area."

This includes public education and integrated mosquito management, such as "eliminating places where mosquitoes lay eggs, and that's done through community engagement, but also cleanup campaigns," Paz-Bailey said.

Similar efforts are also recommended in the rest of the US and its territories, he noted.

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Symptoms of dengue

Only one in four people infected with dengue have symptoms.

The most common symptom is fever, but it can also cause nausea, vomiting, skin rashes or pain, usually behind the eyes or in muscles, joints or bones.

There are four strains of the virus, or serotypes, according to the World Health Organization. Once someone contracts one of the strains, they cannot be infected again. But the more times a person is infected with different strains, the more likely they are to become seriously ill.

Severe dengue is less common: one in 20 people suffer from it. But the symptoms are more worrying. It can cause 

, internal bleeding, and even death.

According to the CDC, each year about 100 million people worldwide get sick and 40,000 die from severe dengue.

Dengue tests

If you get sick and live in an area where dengue may be spreading or have traveled to a place where the virus is common, the CDC recommends seeing your doctor.

The only definitive way to know if you have the virus is through blood tests, which vary from place to place, Paz-Bailey said.

The general recommendation is to do a PCR test, he says, if symptoms started in a week or less.

"If the person presents beyond the seven-day window, a serologic test to measure IgM antibodies is recommended," Paz-Bailey said.

Results may take between a day and a week.

Vaccine and treatment against dengue

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a dengue vaccine in 2019, but it's not for everyone.

The CDC recommends Dengvaxia for children ages 9 to 16 who have laboratory-confirmed evidence of dengue infection and who live in areas of the United States where dengue is endemic or occurs regularly. The vaccine requires three doses, administered six months apart.

There is no dengue vaccine for adults in the US.

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There is also no specific medication to treat dengue, according to the CDC. Over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen, can relieve fever or pain, but experts recommend against taking aspirin or ibuprofen because they can increase the risk of bleeding, which sometimes occurs with dengue.

How to protect yourself from dengue?

The 

mosquito , which transmits dengue and other viruses, doesn't like to travel far and prefers to breed in our backyards, said Dr. Isik Unlu, acting director and operations manager of the County of Mosquito Control Division. Miami-Dade.

"They prefer to be close to people. That's the problem," he says, adding that the species is often found in containers that collect rainwater, especially during the summer months.

Almost anything you see in a backyard can become a breeding ground, Unlu says, including birdbaths, plant saucers, tires, gutters and kiddie pools.

Unlu and Paz-Bailey recommend removing standing water around your home as often as possible to prevent mosquitoes from gathering and breeding.

If you are going outside, the CDC recommends using insect repellents registered by the US Environmental Protection Agency to avoid bites from mosquitoes that may carry dengue. Another option is to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and treat clothing with 0.5% permethrin, an insecticide.

With information from Rafy Rivera, Mauricio Torres

Dengue