Dengue and chikungunya: two health risks in Honduras

Throught the end of 2014, there were 42,902 cases of dengue, with 2,302 cases of the more severe dengue haemorrhagic fever, and 5,104 reported cases of chikungunya nationwide. Areas at risk for dengue fever included Tegucigalpa, Choluteca, San Pedro Sula, and Comayagua. The highest risk for chikungunya was in the departments of Atlántida, Comayagua, Copán and Cortés.

Both diseases share the same kinds of mosquitoes for transmitting these viruses. Travellers to areas where these viruses are active can reduce their risk of exposure by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Many persons with these infections do not seek medical care and are not reported to health authorities. There may be many more cases in the community that are not reported.