Ecoepidemiology of dengue in Brazil: from the virus to the environment

Abstract

Dengue is an infectious disease caused by the dengue virus. In Brazil, the main vector is the mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.); however, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) can also transmit this pathogen. According to the WHO, more than 125 countries are endemic for dengue, and an estimated 50-100 million infections occur annually. In Brazil, the Northeast region is one with high incidence rates and records of successive epidemics. Dengue has been circulating in Brazil for over 30 years, due to the fact that there are areas that offer favorable environmental conditions, as well as municipalities with low socioeconomic conditions and frequent water crises. In addition, Brazil is a tourist hub with an intense flow of visitors, keeping the doors open for the entry and circulation of vector-borne diseases. The role of epidemiology is to analyze the distribution of diseases and their determinants in space and time and to unveil the social inequalities that influence the health-disease process. Thus, a review study that describes the occurrence of Dengue may provide a perspective of future areas of greater risk for dengue epidemics.