First Case of Dengue Fever Identified in Lombardy Region
Officials have confirmed the first case of Dengue fever in the Lombardy region of Italy. The disease, which is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, commonly known as the tiger mosquito, has affected an individual over 70 years old from the province of Lodi. The patient is currently hospitalized in good condition at Crema hospital.
The welfare management of the Lombardy Region has announced that preventative measures are already being taken in the areas frequented by the patient. The prevention departments of the Milan and Valpadana Ats have initiated extraordinary disinfestation actions to combat the mosquito population.
Another possible Dengue case was reported in Monza a few days ago, indicating a potential outbreak in the region. As a result, the Ats is preparing an alert to be sent to general practitioners and hospitals with emergency rooms in the Asst Lodi-Crema district. The goal is to educate healthcare professionals to recognize the symptoms of Dengue and activate specific diagnostic pathways.
The case has been reported to the Ministry of Health and the Higher Institute of Health. The welfare management emphasizes the need for citizens to protect themselves from mosquito bites, particularly the elderly and those at higher risk from the disease. They recommend using mosquito repellents when outdoors and utilizing insecticides or mosquito nets indoors.
To limit the spread of mosquitoes, authorities have issued several recommendations. These include covering all containers for collecting rainwater, cleaning manholes and wells regularly, applying fine mesh mosquito nets over manholes, treating stagnation areas with larvicidal products every 15 days, and ensuring gutters are clean. Additionally, citizens should introduce larvicidal products into vases with dried flowers and avoid leaving stagnant water in saucers. Animal troughs should be thoroughly washed to prevent mosquito breeding.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a flavivirus. The main symptoms include high fever, headache, rash, severe leg pain, and occasionally respiratory symptoms such as a cough. The disease is endemic in tropical climates and has an annual global death toll of about 20,000, with 50-100 million cases reported each year. The virus circulates in the blood for 2 to 7 days in infected individuals and incubates for up to 15 days. While mild cases resolve within a few days, severe cases may take several weeks to fully recover. Treatment for Dengue focuses on managing symptoms, with paracetamol being used but not NSAIDs.