Reemergence of Dengue in Southern Texas, 2013

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 1002 - 1007
• Main Authors: Thomas, Dana L, Santiago, Gilberto A, Abeyta, Roman, Hinojosa, Steven, Torres-Velasquez, Brenda, Adam, Jessica K, Evert, Nicole, Caraballo, Elba, Hunsperger, Elizabeth, Muñoz-Jordán, Jorge L, Smith, Brian, Banicki, Alison, Tomashek, Kay M, Gaul, Linda, Sharp, Tyler M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01-06-2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Analysis; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - epidemiology; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - history; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - transmission; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - virology; Dengue; Dengue - epidemiology; Dengue - history; Dengue - virology; Dengue Virus - classification; Dengue Virus - genetics; Dengue viruses; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Family Characteristics; Female; Genes, Viral; Health aspects; History, 21st Century; Humans; Infection; Male; Mexico; outbreak; Phylogeny; Reemergence of Dengue in Southern Texas, 2013; Risk Factors; Texas; Texas - epidemiology; Travel; United States; vector-borne infections; viruses; Central America; Mexico; Texas; reemergence; viruses; vector-borne infections; United States; Dengue; Texas; dengue virus; outbreak
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2206.152000

During a dengue epidemic in northern Mexico, enhanced surveillance identified 53 laboratory-positive cases in southern Texas; 26 (49%) patients acquired the infection locally, and 29 (55%) were hospitalized. Of 83 patient specimens that were initially IgM negative according to ELISA performed at a commercial laboratory, 14 (17%) were dengue virus positive by real-time reverse transcription PCR performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dengue virus types 1 and 3 were identified, and molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrated close identity with viruses that had recently circulated in Mexico and Central America. Of 51 household members of 22 dengue case-patients who participated in household investigations, 6 (12%) had been recently infected with a dengue virus and reported no recent travel, suggesting intrahousehold transmission. One household member reported having a recent illness consistent with dengue. This outbreak reinforces emergence of dengue in southern Texas, particularly when incidence is high in northern Mexico.