Long-term climate variability is not the main factor in dengue control and transmission and other causes also play a major role in its perpetuation, Pakistan Medical Society Chairman Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh said while addressing a workshop titled, ‘Dengue and Winter’, in collaboration with Special Kidds Inn on Sunday.
Sheikh said in countries where transmission occurred regularly, short-term changes in weather, particularly temperature, precipitation and humidity are often correlated with dengue incidence. These associations, however, do not describe the occurrence every few years of major epidemics in these areas. Globally, the reported incidences of dengue have been increasing and important factors potentially contributing to global changes in dengue incidence and distribution include population growth, urbanisation, lack of sanitation, increased long-distance travel, ineffective mosquito control, and increased reporting capacity. Sheikh added that although environmental factors are important they are not the only factors critical to dengue transmission.
Addressing the workshop PMS Vice president Dr Israr Hussain Asif pointed out that dengue viruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes are highly sensitive to environmental conditions. Temperature, precipitation and humidity are critical to mosquito survival, reproduction, and development and can influence mosquito presence and abundance. Additionally, higher temperatures reduce the time required for the virus to replicate and disseminate
in the mosquito. This process, referred to as the “extrinsic incubation period,” must occur before the virus can reach the mosquito’s salivary glands and be transmitted to humans. If the mosquito becomes infectious faster because temperatures are warmer, it has a greater chance of infecting a human before it dies. Special Kidds Director Miss Tayyaba, and
Principal Dr Iram also spoke on the occasion. Certificates were distributed amongst the participants of the dengue workshop.