Dengue Fever in Cote d'Ivoire

10 Jul 2019

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that between 1 January and 25 June 2019, a total of 1 853 suspected dengue fever cases, including two deaths. Thirty-eight out of 86 districts located in 15 health regions have reported at least one suspected case, with Abidjan accounting for 96% (1 776) of all reported suspected cases. Cocody-Bingerville and Abobo East districts in Abidjan accounted for 59% (115) and 23% (44) of the total confirmed cases, respectively.

Advice for Travellers

All travellers to regions where dengue occurs are potentially at risk of dengue fever and should be aware of this infection. Prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites.

Aedes mosquitoes are particularly persistent and aggressive and bite between dawn and dusk.

Methods of bite avoidance include:

• Wearing long, loose, lightly coloured clothing to cover up the skin during the day.

• The use of insect repellent containing DEET applied to any exposed skin between dawn and dusk.

• When sunscreen and DEET are used together, DEET should be applied after sunscreen. The effectiveness of repellent reduces more rapidly than sunscreen, therefore, repellent may have to be reapplied on top of sunscreen.

• The use of permethrin, impregnated mosquito nets protects against early morning bites and should also be used when sleeping during the day.

• The use of air conditioning if available and/or mesh screening of windows and doors.

• Eradication of mosquito breeding sites around accommodation/home (e.g. open containers, old tyres or flower pots that may collect water).

Vaccine

No vaccine against dengue fever has been licensed for use in the UK.

For further information see Dengue Fever.