New Perspectives in Prevention, Control, and Treatment of Dengue Fever
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti and is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It represents a major global public health challenge because of its rapid expansion and increasing incidence. Clinical manifestations range from mild febrile illness to severe disease with hemorrhage and death. No specific antiviral treatment exists, and prevention has relied on vector control to reduce human–mosquito contact. Although vaccines are available, access remains limited. In the Americas, dengue transmission has intensified markedly in recent years. The largest epidemic occurred in 2024, with more than 12.6 million cases and over 7700 deaths. In 2025, reports showed 4 million suspected cases, including 8966 severe cases and 2207 deaths. This persistent burden may be driven by climate variability, urbanization, mobility, environmental change, and widespread vector distribution, all of which contribute to ongoing transmission and disease severity. These trends underscore the critical need to strengthen surveillance, improve integrated vector management, expand vaccine access, and develop effective therapies to reduce the health, social, and economic impact of this disease. Accordingly, effective preventive and therapeutic strategies are needed to address this persistent and growing threat.
Authors
- Ronald Yesid Maestre Serrano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5858-9829)
- Jairo Castellar-López (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8984-7675)
- Aileen Y. Chang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7410-9867)
- Noemí Ramírez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8651-0076)
- Evelyn Mendoza‐Torres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4586-3753)
- Vanessa Cohen Ariza (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2046-8188)
- Wendy Rosales
- Diego Castro Garcia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3643-6527)
- Vanessa Gamarra Nicoliche
- Gabriela Lara Barreto
- Santiago Alcazar Santos
- Joseph León Insignares (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3509-9107)
- Yeini Julieth Gutiérrez Rodríguez
- Gabriela Alejandra Cáceres
- Monica Gomez Pulido
- Marian Mares Blancas
Institutions
- Universidad de Guadalajara (MX)
- George Washington University (US)
- University of La Guajira (CO)
- Universidad Libre de Colombia (CO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Viruses
- Published
- 2026-10-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/v18101162
- Primary Topic
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00