TY - JOUR
T1 - Sentinel surveillance of imported dengue via travellers to Europe 2012 to 2014
T2 - TropNet data from the DengueTools Research Initiative
AU - Neumayr, Andreas
AU - Muñoz, Jose
AU - Schunk, Mirjam
AU - Bottieau, Emmanuel
AU - Cramer, Jakob
AU - Calleri, Guido
AU - López-Vélez, Rogelio
AU - Angheben, Andrea
AU - Zoller, Thomas
AU - Visser, Leo
AU - Serre-Delcor, Núria
AU - Genton, Blaise
AU - Castelli, Francesco
AU - Van Esbroeck, Marjan
AU - Matteelli, Alberto
AU - Rochat, Laurence
AU - Sulleiro, Elena
AU - Kurth, Florian
AU - Gobbi, Federico
AU - Norman, Francesca
AU - Torta, Ilaria
AU - Clerinx, Jan
AU - Poluda, David
AU - Martinez, Miguel
AU - Calvo-Cano, Antonia
AU - Sanchez-Seco, Maria Paz
AU - Wilder-Smith, Annelies
AU - Hatz, Christoph
AU - Franco, Leticia
N1 - FTX
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - We describe the epidemiological pattern and genetic characteristics of 242 acute dengue infections imported to Europe by returning travellers from 2012 to 2014. The overall geographical pattern of imported dengue (South-east Asia > Americas > western Pacific region > Africa) remained stable compared with 1999 to 2010. We isolated the majority of dengue virus genotypes and epidemic lineages causing outbreaks and epidemics in Asia, America and Africa during the study period. Travellers acted as sentinels for four unusual dengue outbreaks (Madeira, 2012-13; Luanda, 2013; Dar es Salaam, 2014; Tokyo, 2014). We were able to characterise dengue viruses imported from regions where currently no virological surveillance data are available. Up to 36% of travellers infected with dengue while travelling returned during the acute phase of the infection (up to 7 days after symptom onset) or became symptomatic after returning to Europe, and 58% of the patients with acute dengue infection were viraemic when seeking medical care. Epidemiological and virological data from dengue-infected international travellers can add an important layer to global surveillance efforts. A considerable number of dengue-infected travellers are viraemic after arrival back home, which poses a risk for dengue introduction and autochthonous transmission in European regions where suitable mosquito vectors are prevalent.
AB - We describe the epidemiological pattern and genetic characteristics of 242 acute dengue infections imported to Europe by returning travellers from 2012 to 2014. The overall geographical pattern of imported dengue (South-east Asia > Americas > western Pacific region > Africa) remained stable compared with 1999 to 2010. We isolated the majority of dengue virus genotypes and epidemic lineages causing outbreaks and epidemics in Asia, America and Africa during the study period. Travellers acted as sentinels for four unusual dengue outbreaks (Madeira, 2012-13; Luanda, 2013; Dar es Salaam, 2014; Tokyo, 2014). We were able to characterise dengue viruses imported from regions where currently no virological surveillance data are available. Up to 36% of travellers infected with dengue while travelling returned during the acute phase of the infection (up to 7 days after symptom onset) or became symptomatic after returning to Europe, and 58% of the patients with acute dengue infection were viraemic when seeking medical care. Epidemiological and virological data from dengue-infected international travellers can add an important layer to global surveillance efforts. A considerable number of dengue-infected travellers are viraemic after arrival back home, which poses a risk for dengue introduction and autochthonous transmission in European regions where suitable mosquito vectors are prevalent.
U2 - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.1.30433
DO - 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2017.22.1.30433
M3 - A1: Web of Science-article
C2 - 28080959
SN - 1560-7917
VL - 22
SP - pii=30433
JO - Eurosurveillance
JF - Eurosurveillance
IS - 1
ER -