Florida reports ten locally transmitted dengue cases, including first in Pinellas County in 15 years

Florida health authorities have confirmed ten locally acquired cases of dengue fever this year, eight in Hillsborough County and two in Pinellas County. The two cases in Pinellas represent the first locally transmitted infections in the county in 15 years.

The illness, spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, typically reaches the United States through travelers who become infected abroad. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded 1,471 dengue cases nationwide so far this year.

"Pinellas doesn’t have any modern history of having dengue in the county," said Alyssa Berro, Pinellas County mosquito-control manager, adding that the recent cases likely stem from an infected traveler who was subsequently bitten by local mosquitoes, initiating transmission.

In Hillsborough County, the eight locally acquired cases were identified within a two-week span. The CDC notes that about one-quarter of people bitten by an infected mosquito develop symptoms ranging from mild fever and rash to severe body aches.

Prevention guidance from the CDC advises residents in affected areas to wear long sleeves and pants and to apply insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol, with the latter two not recommended for children under three years old.