Dengue: why it is dangerous to get the disease a second time

For months, alarms have been ringing in America due to the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquito that can transmit dengue fever .

According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), 3.5 million cases have been recorded on the continent alone. In neighboring countries, such as Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, the outlook is critical due to the worrying number of patients who have died from the disease.

Although in our country the situation has not been as serious, it was not until 2024 that more cases appeared than in 2023.

Some of the factors that have led to the worsening of the situation are high temperatures and extreme weather events, added to the El Niño phenomenon, establishes OPS.

It should be remembered that dengue fever is a viral disease which can be transmitted mainly by the bite of a female mosquito. Aedes Aegyti.

Once the mosquito manages to feed on blood, the patient contracts the disease, which results in symptoms such as fever, headache and nausea. In the worst cases, the disease can be fatal.

Due to the increase in cases emerging in Chile in recent weeks, it is essential to know how dangerous it can be to contract the virus repeatedly.

An important aspect to consider about dengue is that there are four serotypes: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. Today, all of them are present on the continent.

When a person has been bitten by an infected mosquito and contracts dengue fever, they may develop lifelong immunity to a particular serotype. However, immunity against the other three serotypes only lasts 6 months.

After this time, you will be at risk of contracting the virus again. The problem is that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), those who are infected for the second time are more likely to present with the disease in its severe form.

According to Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention (CDC), severe dengue is considered a medical emergency and symptoms can worsen within hours.

Among the clearest signs of this variant of the disease are stomach pain, repeated vomiting, blood in vomit or stools, nosebleeds and a feeling of exhaustion, details the entity.

Considering the above, it is essential that people can adopt careful strategies to prevent the infection from recurring one or more times. Some of them These include covering your arms and legs with clothing to prevent skin exposure, using mosquito nets and regularly applying insect repellent.