In Reply to: Dengue fever alert. posted by ZEKE on Tuesday, 28. December 2010 at 23:50 Bali Time:
don't know the hype that that T,V. program you quoted but here are some details on searches that I have done.
Dengue is prevalent throughout the tropics and subtropics. Outbreaks have occurred recently in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Cuba, and Central America. Cases have also been imported via tourists returning from areas with widespread dengue, including Tahiti, Singapore, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, the West Indies, India, and the Middle East (similar in distribution to the areas of the world that harbor malaria and yellow fever).
Dengue (pronounced DENG-gay) strikes people with low levels of immunity. Because it is caused by one of four serotypes of virus, it is possible to get dengue fever multiple times. However, an attack of dengue produces immunity for a lifetime to that particular serotype to which the patient was exposed.
On the other hand The WA Health Department has warned the number of those suffering from the disease has topped 150 so far this year, up from a total of 16 in 2006.
Director of Communicable Disease Control Dr Paul Armstrong said that while most people recovered completely from the illness, there was a risk of developing a rare but potentially fatal form of the disease.
Dr Armstrong said gastroenteritis was also very common in travellers and could be caused by a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Nearly one third of salmonella infections notified in WA so far this year were acquired overseas,
Sexually transmissible infections, such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HIV, are also considered a high risk in those travelling in Asian countries.So lets just stay at home cross the road and get ridden over by a truck.