A vaccine has recently become available against one of the diseases you can contract in tropical regions: dengue. This means you can now do more to protect yourself than just the standard measures you should take to prevent mosquito bites. A reassuring thought when you travel. In this blog, we answer all your questions about this vaccine.
What is dengue and where is it prevalent?
Dengue or dengue fever is a disease caused by the dengue virus, which is transmitted by the yellow fever mosquito and the Asian tiger mosquito, among others. These mosquitoes are found in (sub)tropical areas, such as the Caribbean, Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America. When travelling to any of these areas, it is wise to take preventive measures.
What happens if you contract dengue?
When you are bitten by a mosquito carrying the dengue virus, it does not necessarily mean that you will get sick. In fact, usually people do not develop any symptoms. When they do, symptoms appear within three to 14 days of infection. The symptoms you may then develop resemble those of the flu. These include coughing, sudden spikes in fever, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea and vomiting. in most cases, the symptoms subside within a few days to a week. Generally, people have few long-term symptoms from a dengue infection other than the memory of a holiday that went down the drain. In some cases, however, the disease progresses more severely. When a dengue infection is more severe, you will notice dark red spots on the skin and bleeding from the gums, heart, nose, liver and intestines. This bleeding can be so severe as to cause what is known as dengue shock syndrome, which can lead to death.
Here’s how to prevent a dengue virus infection
A dengue virus infection not only messes up your travel plans, it also carries major risks, as you have read above. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to reduce the risk of infection. There are also measures you can take to reduce the chances of getting seriously ill in case you do get infected.
Preventive measures against mosquitoes
Preventing infection is, of course, the most important thing you can do. In the case of dengue, this means taking anti-mosquito measures. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue are mostly active during the day, so make sure you wear clothes that cover your body as much as possible and apply mosquito repellent, such as DEET. Do this at night too and sleep under an impregnated mosquito net. In dengue-prone areas, there are often other mosquitoes that are active at night, such as the mosquito that spreads the malaria virus. So protect yourself against mosquito bites day and night.
The dengue vaccine
Nowadays, a vaccine is also available that prevents dengue altogether or prevents the disease from becoming severe. The dengue vaccine is mainly intended for people who have had dengue before. Usually the first infection is mild, but with the second or third infection you have a higher risk of becoming very ill. As a result, anti-mosquito measures are especially important for these individuals, combined with the dengue vaccine as extra protection against a severe course of illness.
The dengue vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine consisting of two doses, which must be given at least three months apart. Up to three days after the vaccination, you may experience fever, head and muscle aches, fatigue and pain or redness at the site where the vaccination was administered. You may also experience mild symptoms similar to dengue symptoms, such as headache, joint pain and skin rash, 7 to 14 days after the vaccination. If you have never had dengue before, you will experience more side effects than if you have been infected before. The second dose usually gives much fewer side effects.
As it is a new vaccine, it is not yet known how long the vaccine offers protection.
Are you going to travel? Discuss the dengue vaccine and other travel vaccines with vaccinatiecentrum.nl
Planning a nice trip? Contact vaccinatiecentrum.nl right away to find out, together with our travel nurses, which health measures are best for you. For example, if you are going to an area where dengue is present and you have had it before, it is wise to get vaccinated. As the vaccine consists of two doses that must be given at least three months apart, it is important to contact us well in advance. For personalised travel advice, book an appointment via info@vaccinatiecentrum.nl, call 085-9020303 or book an appointment.