Dengue Screening Launches in Eastern Europe

According to local news reporting, an official with the health ministry said that Pakistanis traveling through Iran are being screened for dengue fever.

“Health stations have been established in Mirjaveh and Rimdan borders, in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, to screen Pakistanis to prevent the entry of travel-associated infectious diseases to the country,” ISNA quoted Jafar Miadfar, head of Iran’s Emergency Organization.

These travelers are checked for clinical symptoms such as fever, chills, low consciousness, and skin rashes. Also, needed laboratory tests are implemented, and infected individuals will be prevented from entering Iran, the official added.

The Tehran Times reported on August 16, 2024, that thanks to effective border control measures and quality healthcare, the number of people entering the country with dengue fever has significantly decreased compared to the previous months.

In Europe, Aedes albopictus mosquitos transmit the virus to people.

While dengue screening is a new aspect of international travel, it is related to the increasing number of confirmed cases in Europe.

Dengue epidemics were first reported in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in 1998.

On August 16, 2024, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) confirmed local autochthonous (local) dengue cases in Europe this year.

The first dengue case that presented symptoms was in June in France. Overall, France reported six locally acquired dengue cases in 2024.

Previously, the ECDC reported locally acquired dengue virus outbreaks in Italy, Spain, and Croatia, as well as in Djibouti, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

As of August 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not endorse dengue virus testing for international travelers.

However, the WHO does recommend dengue vaccination one month before visiting outbreak areas, such as the Region of the Americas.