Recent Outbreaks of Dengue Fever in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Narrative Mini-review

Abstract

Dengue Fever (DF) is the most important, rapidly spreading, emerging/re-emerging, arboviral disease that threats a global human health and economic development. Dengue viral infection is transmitted to human by infected female Aedes mosquito vector, significantly Aedes aegypti. This article reviewed the recent status of dengue fever outbreaks indicated in the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) in the last five years (2016-2020), based on reports of WHO, and other available data. Recent DF outbreaks were in Sudan (2017, 2019), Yemen (2016, 2018, 2019), Oman (2018), and Pakistan (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). The two species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus were geographically distributed and mapped by country-level according to the published reports. There are several factors contributing to the emergence and rapid transmission of dengue in the region, include rapid prevalence of the main dengue vector, host vulnerability, favorable environmental conditions (temperatures, precipitation and humidity), and unplanned expanding urbanization. In addition to the movement of traveler’s people during an outbreak responsible for introducing DF to new locations. Early detection of diseases and effective mosquito vector control is an essential strategy for preventing the transmission of diseases outbreaks.