What is the tropical flu?

Answer 1

Tropical Flu is another name for Dengue Fever (pronounced DENG'- gay). It is caused by 4 different viruses, but none are actually influenza viruses, so it is a misnomer since it really isn't a flu. It is much more like malaria, and is also sometimes called Little Malaria. Although the symptoms and mosquito source of the infections are the same, malaria is not caused by viruses carried by the mosquitoes, but rather by the parasites: protists. Some other names for this disease are: 3 Day Fever, Dandy Fever, and Breakbone Fever (so called because the joint and muscle pain can sometimes contort the appearance of a limb making it seem broken). There is also an Ayurvedic name: Dandak Jwara.

Tropical Flu/Dengue Fever is caused by viruses that are carried by mosquitoes. The specific mosquitoes are of the Aedes genus and the most common carriers of Tropical Flu are the Aedes Aegypti species. Malaria is also caused by carrier mosquitoes, but the pathogen in malaria is a parasite called plasmodium, rather than viruses that mosquitoes carry that cause Dengue Fever. It is called Tropical Flu because, like malaria, it has been mostly found only in the tropical regions.

Most people recover after a miserable but relatively short bout of the viral disease and its symptoms. The symptoms include a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms including a very high fever (104 or higher), headaches, body and muscle and joint aches, vomiting, weakness, and an initial flat red rash. Later, the rash may turn more like measles rashes. Symptoms usually persist for about a week, but they are very bad and the patients are very uncomfortable. Although short-lived, it can trigger a fatal secondary hemorrhagic syndrome called Southeast Asia Hemorrhagic Fever or Hemorrhagic Dengue Fever which manifests with sudden bleeding, like nosebleeds, bleeding from the eyes, blood in stools, and vomiting blood which can be a fatal secondary condition.

Dengue Fever/Tropical Flu is found in the tropical regions of the world where the mosquitoes that carry the pathogen live. There is no treatment other than symptomatic treatments like are used for colds and flu. There are no vaccines. Once you have had the disease, you can achieve immunity to the specific Dengue virus that you were infected with, however, you will still be vulnerable to the other three causative viruses. The only other protection against this infectious disease is control of mosquitoes: netting around sleeping areas, DEET and other repellents, removal of standing mosquito-breeding waters, etc. Unlike malaria, however, the viruses causing Tropical Flu and the mosquitoes carrying them are usually found in tropical urban areas rather than the deep jungle areas where malaria has been most common.

It is beginning to spread rapidly outside of the tropics and some speculate that the new spreading is due to global warming and increased breeding areas caused by the warming that allows for wider habitat and spread of the carrier mosquitoes. It was originally found in Southeast Asia, but now is beginning to spread to the rest of Asia, Africa, and even South America. The US is no longer free of this disease, it has been found in parts of South Florida, the US Virgin Islands, Samoa and Guam. It is endemic to Puerto Rico and they had an epidemic in 2010 which was the largest outbreak in Puerto Rico history with over 21,000 cases.

The US Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) has estimated that a full one third of the world population is now at risk for spread of Dengue Fever/Tropical Flu and they have estimated around 100 million cases per year world wide.

There is more being done now to educate and provide protection with netting and repellents, etc., to those in need in areas where these mosquitoes breed and malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases rapidly spread. Prominent philanthropists Bill and Melisa Gates have a Foundation working to rid the world of these mosquito-borne diseases. According to the CDC, in 2010, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria worldwide and deaths of 655,000 people, most (91%) in the African Region.

It is anticipated by many epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists that climate warming will continue to allow for increases of the regions where these tropical diseases had until now been confined.