Description of the First Dengue Outbreak in the City of Santo Tomé, Corrientes, 2016

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: During the summer of 2016 different outbreaks of dengue fever occurred in Argentina, and the city of Santo Tomé (Corrientes) had its first one. The objective of this work was to evaluate temporal and spatial distribution of dengue cases registered in the city as well as the actions carried out to interrupt the transmission. METHODS: Suspected cases were detected by health personnel, samples confirmed by serological analysis and each positive case georeferenced and classified as autochthonous or imported. The prevention actions were larval block; focal control and spatial spraying; evaluation of larvicides; elimination of water reservoirs; meetings, training and neighborhood assemblies. RESULTS: From 148 suspected patients, 52 were confirmed between epidemiological week 3 and 22. The circulating strain was DENV 1. Forty-six percent (24/52) of the cases were autochthonous, concentrated in Sarmiento neighborhood. Twenty-one percent (140/655) of the houses had mosquitoes breeding sites, of which 84 percent (210/251) were positive for Ae. aegypti. DISCUSSION: Santo Tomé city had all the conditions for dengue outbreak: susceptible population, presence of the vector and arrival of imported cases. Although the distribution of cases was homogeneous throughout the outbreak, Sarmiento neighborhood showed a clear viral circulation, which was controlled through an interdisciplinary work for action and prevention.