Health officials in Uruguay reports what may be the country’s first case of autochthonous, or locally acquired dengue fever case in a Montevideo woman.
The 31-year-old female developed fever and joint pain on Feb. 5. On Feb. 9, she sought medical attention and, on the same day, her samples were collected for laboratory testing. The samples tested positive for dengue by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The patient remained hospitalized for two days and, at discharge, was in good health conditions. The patient has no history of travel outside of Uruguay.
Patient’s samples have been sent to a regional reference laboratory for confirmation.
Health authorities in Uruguay are conducting epidemiological investigations to determine the source of exposure and to identify possible additional cases in the community.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says if confirmed, this would be the first case of autochthonous dengue fever detected in Uruguay. Uruguay is one of the few countries in Central and South America that does not have the disease.
Elsewhere in South America, through January, Brazil has reported 116,966 dengue fever cases, including seven fatalities. Colombia has seen more than 16,000 cases through the first six weeks, Paraguay, more than 17,000 thorugh mid-January and Argentina has reported more than 9,000 through the middle of February.
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