Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
Volume 30, 2019, Pages 46-53

Dengue fever in Saudi Arabia: A review of environmental and population factors impacting emergence and spread (Review)

Altassan K.K. , Morin C. , Shocket M.S. , Ebi K. , Hess J.*
  • a Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
  • b Department of Global Health, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, United States
  • c Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall StanfordCA 94305, United States
  • d Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States, Department of Global Health, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, United States
  • e Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States, Department of Global Health, Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, United States, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Box 357234 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, United States, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States

Abstract

Dengue fever (DF) is the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease causing a large economic and disease burden in many parts of the world. Most DF research focuses on Latin America and Asia, where burdens are highest. There is a critical need for studies in other regions where DF is an important public health problem but less well-characterized and can differ, such as the Middle East. The first documented case of DF in Saudi Arabia occurred in 1993. After a decade of sporadic outbreaks, the disease was declared endemic in 2004 and this designation persists. Climate, sociodemographic factors, and increasing urbanization impact the spread of DF in Saudi Arabia, as in other areas. However, DF transmission in Saudi Arabia is also affected by several unique factors, including large numbers of migrant workers and religious pilgrims from other dengue endemic areas across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. Important knowledge gaps relate to the role of climatic factors as drivers of DF in Saudi Arabia and the role of foreign workers and pilgrims in the original and continuous importation of dengue virus. Filling these gaps would improve health system preparedness. © 2019

Author Keywords

Mosquito-borne disease Middle east and North Africa Arbovirus Dengue virus

Index Keywords

clinical feature human Middle East priority journal Environment nonhuman mosquito vector climate religion dengue workforce population risk social status Saudi Arabia Humans vector control Dengue virus expatriate workforce environmental factor risk factor Risk Factors Review Communicable Diseases, Emerging epidemic history communicable disease systematic review (topic) North Africa population and population related phenomena virus transmission medical geography global disease burden weather
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85065180686&doi=10.1016%2fj.tmaid.2019.04.006&partnerID=40&md5=f0d9b77433f65237a536d502d2f39e66
DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.04.006
ISSN: 14778939
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English