The number of dengue fever cases in Thailand continue to rise and to date, have doubled the numbers logged in 2014 at this time. As of Aug. 18, Thailand health officials put the case count at 51,500, including 37 deaths.
Health secretary, Dr Narong Sahamethapat said 80 percent of dengue cases are caused by bites from striped or Asian Tiger mosquitoes. He is predicting that the country could see 70,000 dengue fever cases by year’s end.
Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, A. albopictus.
The World Health Organization says there are 4 distinct, but closely related, serotypes of the virus that causedengue (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4). Recovery from infection by one provides lifelong immunity against that particular serotype.
However, cross-immunity to the other serotypes after recovery is only partial and temporary. Subsequent infections by other serotypes increase the risk of developing severe dengue.
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