Understanding how we’re spreading dengue

It’s not just the mosquitos spreading dengue among our communities. Healthy mosquitos can catch it from us before they pass it on to our friends and our families.

Why is that so important to understand?

Because our dengue surveillance initiatives and vaccination programs need to understand how we infect mosquitos, as well as how mosquitos infect us, if they’re going to truly succeed. “Dengue vaccine programs need to look at all the people that are contributing to dengue transmission and how the vaccine is changing that,” reveals Professor Thomas W. Scott, Director of the Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory in the Department of Entomology at University of California, Davis (UCDavis).

Mild dengue can be transmitted too

However, until recently, research into how mosquitos catch dengue from us only focused on how healthy mosquitos can become infected by biting people with severe dengue symptoms. It ignored the idea that everyone who catches dengue – however mild – can contribute to the spread of the disease.

“Up to three-quarters of people with dengue don’t become sick enough for it to disturb their daily routine,” comments Professor Scott. “If you want to significantly reduce the spread of dengue, those people are important.”

Professor Scott is leading a five-year research program that is examining the risk of healthy mosquitos catching dengue from an infected person. It’s looking at how our behavior when we’re sick with dengue – whether mild or severe – influences the likelihood of healthy mosquitos catching dengue from us.

The research is closely aligned with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) integrated approach to vector management (IVM). IVM advises that you need a complete picture of every aspect of the virus and how it is transmitted to combat the disease.

Tracing contacts and feeding mosquitos

Professor Scott’s team is made up of researchers from UCDavis and U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 (NAMRU-6). They’re examining how the gravity of our illness and the length of time we’re ill affects how infectious we are to mosquitos and the chances of them biting us.
The program is made up of three projects. The first will examine how people’s infectiousness to mosquitos changes over the course of their illness. For this, the team must first go door-to-door to find people infected with dengue.

They’ll then go to the homes that person has visited in the previous two weeks to find other people who are infected. The initial person will have symptoms, but their contacts will often have an illness too mild to even merit a visit to the doctor.

Having found people with all different types and severities of symptoms, the team will feed mosquitos on them to look at how the severity of their illness affects mosquitos’ ability to catch dengue from them. As Professor Scott explains, “The mosquitos will be examined to see if they have become infected and their saliva tested to assess whether they’re able to transmit the disease.”

Comparing severity of illness to mosquito contact

The second project will compare how a person describes how sick they are and how sick blood tests shows they are with the things they do that might increase or decrease their contact with mosquitos.

“Very sick people stay at home. They get bitten by fewer mosquitos than someone who is feeling OK and is out and about, but still has the virus in their blood,” says Professor Scott.

For the third project the team will then take the data from project one and project two and try to link how sick we are with how often we’re getting bit by – and infecting – mosquitos. This project will then create mathematical models of how dengue is transmitted. These models will allow them to understand how the severity of our illness impacts the chances of us spreading dengue to mosquitos.

“The models will help us make sense of some of the patterns of transmissions that don’t make sense if you only look at the people who get sick enough to go to a clinic,” adds Professor Scott.

Learn more about the dengue vaccination program launched in Brazil

Gearing up for the transmission season
The research is still in its early stages. Researchers are currently working out how to feed mosquitos on people’s blood for project one; working on ways to gather the data on illness for project two; and, for project three, they’re using the data that’s already available to develop the models.

“We’re working in Iquitos in Peru where the transmission season is from September until March or April,” reveals Professor Scott. “We’re gearing up for the transmission season later this year.”

Working closely with the community

The team has been working with the local community for over 16 years. Davis faculty member Amy Morrison (seen in the photo opposite) lives in the Peruvian city of Iquitos. The trust developed means the project team is having no problem recruiting people to participate – its acceptance rate to date is around 90%.

“There are people who have questions,” states Professor Scott. “There are people who choose not to participate. But by and large, we have a very good working relationship with the people in the community.”

Even with ample participants, the study may still face significant challenges if transmission is low during a particular season. Unlike laboratory studies where the number of infected people is known in advance, the total number of participants recruited throughout the study will depend on transmission dynamics during the study period.

The study will therefore probably run for a couple of years to ensure its findings aren’t influenced by any abnormal transmission patterns in any one year.

A large collaborative project brings unique opportunities

Professor Scott, however, believes the biggest challenge – and one of the most exciting things about the project – will be coordinating all the different parts of the large collaborative project. The 12 different academic institutions involved in the study must interact efficiently and effectively.
“Each member of the team brings complementary expertise and is outstanding at what they do,” he notes. “We have social scientists collaborating with clinicians, for example, so it is very different to what they would normally do.”

We hope this clear picture on how dengue is transmitted to and from our families and friends will make surveillance initiatives and vaccination programs more effective, giving them the upper hand in the battle against dengue.

Do you know of any other initiatives like this? Tell us about it!

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Rapid saliva dengue diagnosis and saving lives

There are over 2.5 billion of us at risk of dengue and infection with one strain will only provide lifetime protection against that particular strain. Those who catch virus a second time are at a higher risk of death.

The World Health Organization (WHO) explains on its website that a second infection is more likely to lead to acute dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS): “The presence of antibodies to one serotype of the dengue virus is believed to facilitate the occurrence of DHF/DSS in certain individuals through immune-enhancement when infected by a second serotype.” These severe forms of dengue cause plasma leakage, severe bleeding, and severe organ impairment. Any delay in a dengue diagnosis for a second infection could be fatal.

Timely dengue diagnosis could save lives

In preventing dengue from getting serious, speed is of the essence and so is proper care. The Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore has demonstrated a prototype saliva test that can detect dengue from spiked saliva samples within 20 minutes. It has the potential to rapidly reveal whether someone has previously been exposed to the dengue virus.

The simple test detects IgG, a dengue-specific antibody found at the onset of secondary infections in one step, directly from saliva. Currently, earlier dengue infections are diagnosed from a blood sample. The testing process is lengthy: the blood sample has to be sent away to a laboratory for analysis, delaying potentially lifesaving treatment.

The IBN research team that developed this device (from left to right): Executive Director Professor Jackie Y. Ying, Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Yi Zhang, and Research Scientist Dr. Jianhao Bai. Image courtesy of Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

“The device’s ability to differentiate between primary and secondary dengue infections makes it a valuable early diagnosis tool that would help to ensure timely treatment and proper care of patients,” adds Professor Ying, IBN’s Executive Director.

Commercializing the diagnosis technology

To develop the disposable paper-based dengue diagnosis device, the IBN researchers had to overcome two key challenges; both precluded current commercially available kits from being used for the test.

“Unlike other body fluids, saliva cannot be applied directly to commercially available test kits as it would cause the sensor nanoparticles to stick haphazardly to the test strip,” notes Professor Ying. “And conventional paper-based tests are not designed to handle the larger volumes of saliva the test requires.”

3D model of IBN’s rapid test kit that detects dengue-specific antibodies from saliva. Image courtesy of Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.

IBN is collaborating with ARKRAY Inc., a pioneer in the field of automated analysis systems, to commercialize its technology. The company set up its first Asian research center outside Japan in 2013, in IBN. The center is focused on developing novel detection kits for infectious diseases based on IBN’s innovative diagnostic platforms.

Working towards a more definitive diagnosis

Dengue is a very complicated disease and detecting the IgG antibody alone will not provide a definitive diagnosis. So, IBN is exploring ways of detecting other dengue antibodies in saliva. “This may prove challenging,” reveals Profession Ying. “Once we’ve demonstrated successful detection of dengue-specific IgM or IgA antibodies using our device, we will plan clinical trials as a first step towards commercialization.”

IBN also hopes to adapt the oral test kit to detect other diseases and is also investigating the use of other common fluid samples – such as blood, urine, and serum – for rapid, high-sensitivity test kits. It hopes its devices will be as easy to use as over-the-counter pregnancy or fertility test kits.

Rapid dengue diagnosis is a must in the fight against the disease. The sooner we get technology like this in the hands of the people, the better we can break dengue.

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Why prevention is better than cure in Malaysia

Dengue cases are sky-rocketing in Malaysia this year. As of May 21, 2015, 44,524 cases had been reported, an average in excess of 300 cases each day. What’s more there have been an unprecedented 136 deaths, with the most recent reported on May 16. When you consider numbers from previous years, 2015 numbers are a real cause for concern.

Data taken from WHO Dengue Situation Updates. *2015 figures are extrapolated.

Nearby, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has also reported a surge in dengue cases. A total of 9,727 cases and eight deaths had been reported as of April 19. Cases have increased by 23% and deaths have doubled compared to the same period in 2014.

Prevention is more cost effective than cure

Back in February, the World Health Organization (WHO) sent a press release urging governments to increase investment in tackling neglected tropical diseases. In it, they highlight how “increased investments by national governments can alleviate human misery, distribute economic gains more evenly, and free masses of people long trapped in poverty.”

Malaysia is one such country increasing investment in dengue prevention. In February this year, Prime Minister Najib Raza told the Bangkok Post that the government was intensifying its efforts to deal with the mosquito-borne disease. Efforts include sanitation awareness campaigns and taking actions against contractors who neglect cleaning up their work sites. Earlier in the year, the Ministry of Health had also announced that homeowners who failed to remove mosquito breeding grounds in their premises within 14 days would be fined RM500 (approximately $135).

“There is public education on dengue and the Ministry of Health has run nationwide campaigns aimed at removing blockages and cleaning up potential dengue breeding sites,” Dr. H. Krishna Kumar, president of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), told us. “Dengue management has been standardized through a fixed protocol. Whenever there is a positive test, for example, the whole housing area is fumigated.”

A cooperative approach

The number of hospital beds available in Malaysia is still relatively low. This means that whenever there’s an outbreak in a specific region, hospitals get filled up quickly and some of the most serious cases don’t get admitted.

The state of Selangor is Malaysia’s biggest dengue hotspot, with more than half the total number of cases: 27,777 cases as of June 2. The state government is cooperating with Malaysia’s national Ministry of Health to contain the spread of dengue and find the best ways to fight the disease. In February, Selangor Mentri Besar (Great Minister) Mohamed Azmin Ali told The Sun Daily how the collaboration was key to combating the steep increase in cases seen across the state despite the prevention measures in place.

Across the state local authorities carry out weekly drainage maintenance work to ensure the system is free from Aedes mosquito breeding grounds. And, since the most common breeding grounds used to be found inside houses, it fines both tenants and property owners if their buildings are deemed to be breeding grounds.

Communities remain key

Dr. Kumar believes Malaysia has reached a stage where it can’t ask its politicians to do anything more. It’s now up to local authorities to ensure they are doing all they can and to the general public to realize that work together to combat dengue is in their best interest.

“Some local councils are not monitoring and clearing up potential breeding areas as efficiently as they’re supposed to,” he reveals. “In this country, we are very good at building things but very poor at maintaining them and enforcing laws.” The MMA president feels there are still a lot of opportunities for people to flaunt the law, suggesting there aren’t as many enforcement officers as needed simply because fining people is politically unpopular.

Despite dengue being rampant in urban areas, apathy among the general public is still apparent and Dr. Kumar is concerned. “People leave lots of empty containers around, which quickly become breeding grounds for dengue. They just don’t care. Everybody thinks the disease is not going to affect them until it affects them, and then, after that, they start reacting. We need to change how the public looks at dengue and make it a personal responsibility for every individual to contribute to preventing this disease.”

“People need to take responsibility for their own health,” adds Dr. Kumar who is using the media to tell the public to be more involved rather than depending on other people.
New hope

A portable dengue test kit has brought Malaysia some hope. However, even though it gives results from just one drop of blood, it still has its limitations. “The kit only gives a positive result after 72 hours,” reveals Dr. Kumar. “When patients present with atypical or severe dengue symptoms, even if you test them there and then, the result won’t be positive. You have to wait for a few days before you know.”

But there is another new prospect on the horizon. In February, Malaysia’s Deputy Health Minister YB Dato’ Seri Dr. Hilmi Bin Haji Yahaya told reporters that a French-made dengue vaccine was expected to be available across the ASEAN region by mid-2015 – and announced that the vaccine would be available to the public for free in Malaysia.

“We hope that by vaccinating the population we can prevent people from actually developing the disease,” notes Dr. Kumar. “That would help us.”

But with Malaysians tending to be reactive rather than proactive, the vaccine’s effectiveness will depend on the cooperation of the general public. With uptake of vaccines historically low in Malaysia, a very persuasive campaign will be needed to motivate the population to actually get the shot.

Did Cristiano Ronaldo start a dengue outbreak?

Well, no… of course, he didn’t. But Ronaldo’s star power may have indirectly contributed to the arrival of dengue fever in his hometown of Funchal, Madeira. Dr. Ana Clara Silva, Vice President at the Institute of Health and Social Affairs of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, told the ISNTD Bites conference in London that the dengue outbreak on the island can be linked to tourists from South America.

He is also a major tourist attraction

Such is the demand to know more about CR7 (as he likes to style himself) that the Real Madrid player opened a museum in Madeira to tell his life story.
The Portuguese island suffered a serious outbreak in 2012 with thousands of suspected cases reported and several European vacationers being diagnosed after returning to mainland Europe.

Madeira has long been a tourist haven thanks to its climate, food, and hospitality.But one of its more recent claims to fame is that it became the home of the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015 winner himself – Ronaldo – who is said to visit the island several times a year and reportedly does stellar charitable work.

So what’s the link between dengue and Ronaldo?

Researchers in Madeira tracing the origins of the 2012 outbreak have followed the trail all the way back to Venezuela. It would appear that a charter flight for tourists brought dengue and the mosquito that infects humans with the virus.
Tourists may have come for Ronaldo memorabilia but Madeira was left with a viral souvenir it would rather forget.

Genetic evidence

Dr. Silva said genetic research confirms the disease was imported from South America. “We first noticed the vectors [mosquitoes] in 2005, and in 2012 the virus came from Venezuela. The virus also came to Madeira from Venezuela,” she said.

Many South American tourists flock to Madeira for sun and seafood, but plenty come to pay homage to Ronaldo – a kind of football fanatic’s pilgrimage.

The surge in dengue cases led to 2,167 people being infected. In the wake of the epidemic, which is now under control, Madeira public health officials monitor imported cases of dengue very closely.

Is low-cost travel spurring dengue outbreaks?

“Tourism is the main industry – and a risk factor,” says Dr. Silva. “We are also affected by climate change with warmer temperatures, and are experiencing urbanization in Funchal where most cases were reported in 2012 and 2013.”

Globalization, climate change, and urbanization were identified by the WHO as three major contributors to the rise of dengue worldwide.

Dengue is a notifiable disease in Madeira, which means that doctors and clinics must report any suspected cases to health authorities so that they can respond quickly and contain potential epidemics.

Experts in Madeira have stepped up disease surveillance and mosquito control in recent years. They investigate mosquito breeding sites – such as storm drains – and run regular education campaigns in the media.

“We go door-to-door to educate people about clearing storm drains which can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes and we have 170 teachers working with us to raise awareness among children,” says Dr. Silva.

So far, despite a handful of suspected imported cases, there have been no repeats of the short but severe outbreak that Madeira suffered in 2012 and 2013. And Cristiano Ronaldo is perfectly safe.

However… his Brazilian namesake has not been so lucky. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima – also known as Ronaldo and also a three-time winner of the World Footballer of the Year – contracted dengue fever while on holiday in Brazil. Thankfully, he made a full recovery.

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The Synergist & Malaria Consortium engage collaborative partnership

The Synergist & Malaria Consortium unite on Break Dengue

We believe that fostering innovation and collaboration is essential in the prevention and control of dengue fever. So we were pleased when The Synergist announced a new partnership with Malaria Consortium for Break Dengue.

“It is time the world focused on improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical care of dengue…”

As part of this, Learn more about dengue prevention here Senior Vector Control Specialist, will join Break Dengue’s editorial committee, contributing his expertise in the field to help set our editorial agenda and strategic direction. In addition, Malaria Consortium’s Prudence Hamade, Senior Technical Advisor and John Hustedt, Senior Technical Officer, will both join our Scientific Committee, to provide technical guidance on our overall activities.

See why it’s time to break dengue

“We are thrilled to count Malaria Consortium amongst our partners for Break Dengue,” said Caroline De Bie, Programs Director at The Synergist. “Their technical expertise and active involvement in dengue-endemic countries represent an invaluable source of insight into the field. And we are convinced that they can multiply the impact and reach of their activities through the network of individuals and organizations we have built, to foster new solutions and drive positive change.”

Learn more about the fight against here

“It is time the world focused on improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical care of dengue,” said Prudence Hamade, Malaria Consortium’s Senior Technical Specialist. “Malaria Consortium is delighted to be working with Break Dengue, and we believe that through this collaboration we can continue to improve the control and prevention of dengue in Southeast Asia.”

Find out more about the work at Malaria Consortium

Malaria Consortium has been working with government and partners in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand to develop and implement improved surveillance and preventive strategies, such as working closely with communities through innovative behavior change and vector control programs to reduce incidence and developing interventions to improve case management of dengue.

Break Dengue awarded “Most Impactful Emerging or Global Initiative”

We are pleased to announce that our partner and sponsor Sanofi Pasteur was recognized for their involvement in Break Dengue, which won “Most Impactful Emerging or Global Initiative” at the eyeforpharma Barcelona awards in March 2015.
For Sanofi Pasteur, this award is a powerful acknowledgement by international industry experts and patient advocates of their involvement in this collaborative approach to addressing the problem of dengue fever.
“What makes Break Dengue unique is the unprecedented level of partnership; coming together as one to fight against a disease against which no prevention or cure currently exists”, said Paul Simms, Chairman of eyeforpharma. “Break Dengue is the perfect example of identifying a need for something bigger in the fight for disease awareness; and demonstrates an ideal model which could be replicated for so many other diseases across the globe”.
The eyeforpharma Barcelona Awards support pharmaceutical companies who prioritise value for patients and customers.

Breaking dengue – better together

The World Health Organization (WHO) wants to reduce the dengue death rate by 50% and morbidity by 25% by 2020, but only a concerted effort by researchers can achieve this.
That was the message coming from the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) at their vector control conference ISNTD Bites in London last week.
ISNTD Director Marianne Comparet said a great deal of research is ongoing to improve understanding of disease-spreading mosquitoes, disease surveillance, genetics, and sophisticated mapping technology.
Much of this work, regardless of whether it was originally inspired by efforts to control dengue, malaria or chikungunya, could help to defeat a number of diseases spread by mosquitoes.
“Multi-disciplinary collaboration is absolutely key to neglected tropical diseases,” said Comparet, opening the event at London Zoo.
This means that regardless of where researchers are based or which area of disease control they work in, greater effort is required to connect people across academic disciplines.
Action required
There is growing urgency behind this call for collaboration given the growth in dengue fever cases in recent decades: 50 years ago, fewer than 10 countries had reported epidemics of severe dengue. Today, the disease is present in over 100 countries. The WHO says that over 2.5 billion people are at risk – more than 40% of the world’s population.
Technology has an important role to play according to the WHO, as it allows for multidisciplinary collaboration in a way previously impossible.
This is why Break Dengue has created Dengue Lab, a platform for dengue experts from various disciplines where they can share data and collaborate on potential solutions.
Broad coalition
The ISNTD Bites conference showcased the broad range of academic disciplines working on vector control, many of which can help to break dengue.
For example, you might not expect to find computer giant IBM at an infectious diseases conference, yet one of the stars of ISNTD Bites was Dr. Kun Hu of the IBM Almaden Research Center in the US. She presented cutting-edge disease modeling work under way in her lab, which could have a profound impact on a range of diseases.
IBM is modeling the disease dynamics of dengue to understand how the disease spreads, which serotypes are dominant and the severity of symptoms. It even allows researchers to study the impact of climate changes on dengue outbreaks.
Deepening understanding of the disease can give public health officials the tools to fight back against their spread. Similar technology is also being used to model the spread of HIV, flu, and Ebola.
This work is powered by complex mathematics but the modeling tool that IBM has built – known as STEM – is open to scientists and public health officials around the world.
“The system is open source and free. It allows for predictive modeling and rapid development of new models in an emergency,” says Dr. Hu.
Pulling all the pieces together
The ISNTD Bites conference brought together experts on mosquito monitoring, evolutionary genetics, insecticides, and genetically modified mosquitoes.
It was, perhaps, a glimpse of how experts should be collaborating – across disciplines, across continents – towards a shared public health goal.

New member for Break Dengue’s Editorial Committee

164870928 Great news! Break Dengue Editorial Committee has a new member: Kamran Rafiq, Communications Director and co-founder of the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD).

Kamran will bring a wealth of knowledge about the ideas, experts and organizations shaping the future of dengue fever.

The ISNTD is an independent and not-for-profit organization dedicated to alleviating the burden of NTDs on the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. Its ultimate goal is reaching sustainable healthcare provision and poverty reduction in the developing world.

The Society believes that this goal cannot be achieved without strengthening the ties between all the parties involved in NTD alleviation and addressing the socio-ecological and socio-political context of NTDs.

It is a perfect fit for what we are trying to do here at Break Dengue. That’s why we signed up to become institutional members of the ISNTD late last year. And Dengue Lab – our knowledge-sharing platform for researchers working on dengue – now has a dedicated ISNTD section and features videos and other content from ISNTD events.

We look forward to continued collaboration with Kamran, the ISNTD and its members as we strive to break dengue together.

Why dengue gives parents nightmares

Any parent will tell you how difficult it is to see their child ill. But having a child sick with dengue is something every mother truly dreads. Dr. Rosario Capeding, mother, pediatrician, and head of the Dengue Study Group at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in the Philippines, explains why.

Watching her son suffer

It’s been over three years since Dr. Capeding’s eldest son contracted the disease. “He was a first-year medical student when he caught dengue,” she told us. “It wasn’t a classical case, although dengue can present as fever for a few days. He had a fever for several days, then it went down, and then it came back again.”

She saw his white blood cell count drop to 1,200 white blood cells (WBC) per microliter (mcL) – less than a quarter of the normal level of 5,000-10,000 WBCs/mcL. At the same time, his platelet count fell dramatically.

Knowing how important the WBC count is in protecting against disease and that a low platelet count significantly increases the risk of bleeding, it was a very traumatic time for her. “He was irritable and restless. There was always this uncertainty – will he bleed or go into shock? This was one of the worst nightmares for me,” she recalls.

Unpredictability raises anxiety levels

Dengue is one of nbso the most common causes of admissions among children and adolescents at the hospital where Dr. Capeding works as a pediatrician. Having firsthand experience, she empathizes with the anxious parents keeping vigil over their dengue-stricken offspring.

Over the years, she has seen how dengue’s unpredictability heightens parents’ fears. “Even though fatality rates for dengue are not really high compared with Ebola or other infectious diseases, it is very unpredictable and that makes it difficult for parents to deal with,” adds Dr. Capeding.

With no specific treatments available, only fluid management, doctors and parents can only hope that dengue chooses to remain mild. “With other diseases, once you have started the patients on treatment – on antibiotics for example – you can be hopeful they will soon be on the road to recovery,” conveys Dr. Capeding. “But with dengue, even as a doctor, one can’t predict the course of the illness. Will it be dengue hemorrhagic fever or the mild form of dengue?”

New vaccine brings hope

Due to the clinical trials of Sanofi Pasteur’s dengue vaccine candidate in the Philippines, Dr. Capeding (who was a lead investigator in the study) says that she’s hopeful. “The most important finding for me was that the vaccine candidate reduced the severity of dengue. As a mother and a clinician, that is what I am looking for. If you have a child with dengue that has been vaccinated with the dengue vaccine, you’re hopeful. You’re hopeful it will just be mild.”

About Dr. Rosario Capeding

Dr. Rosario Capeding is a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases and section head of infectious diseases at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in the Philippines, where dengue is one of the most common causes of admissions among children and adolescents. She also specializes in clinical microbiology at the National Public Health Institute and is presently a research consultant at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine where she heads up the Dengue Study Group in the research arm of the Philippines Department of Health.

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Education in action: dengue at the Museum of Life

A great deal of the suffering that dengue causes stems from a lack of understanding. In many dengue-endemic countries, the difficulties lie in spotting and preventing the disease. And that’s why projects such as the dengue exhibition at a Brazilian museum are so valuable in helping raise awareness.
The Museum of Life, in Rio de Janeiro, aims to bring Brazilians into contact with science and technology creatively. Linked to the not-for-profit Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), it aims to educate visitors on the ways in which science affects their daily lives.

For the dengue exhibition, the Museum of Life has had the support of pharmaceutical firm Sanofi and Fiocruz’s Dengue Network. The exhibition – which ran from January 2014 to September 2014 and was free to attend – has attracted thousands of visitors. It included giant mosquitoes, make-believe houses, videos, microscopes and interactive screens to help inform visitors of where dengue comes from, how it spreads, and how to prevent it.

Paulo Gadelha, the President of Fiocruz, was pleased with the exhibition. “Now that the disease is taking on new forms, it’s essential to raise public awareness and share information.”

Since closing at the Museum of Life at the end of September 2014, there are now plans to take the dengue exhibition to other cities in Brazil.