Pest Information

Dengue Fever

To date, there have been four reported cases of Dengue fever on island, and all four individuals contracted the virus outside of the Guam. Nonetheless, the potential threat of Dengue fever cannot be underestimated. Many neighboring countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Palau, are reporting moderate to high incidence of this disease. As homeowners, we can play an important role in helping reduce potential breeding sites of the day-biting mosquito that is responsible for transmitting this virus.

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, which are found primarily in urban areas. The Dengue viruses (serotypes called DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4) occur in most of tropical Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean Islands, Central and South America, and Africa. Dengue viruses are transmitted in nature by day-biting Aedes mosquitoes. The most important mosquito vector is the highly domesticated and urban species, Aedes aegypti. Aedes aegytpi has not been recorded on Guam since the early 1940s, but the secondary mosquito carrier, Aedes albopictus, is common on Guam and may have replaced Aedes aegypti on Guam.

The viruses that are responsible for Dengue fever are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. The actual time between the mosquito bite and the appearance of symptoms is unknown, but may be a few days to a week. The onset is characterized by fever, headache, vomiting, and abdominal pain, and respiratory symptoms such as coughing are also common. Hemorrhagic symptoms include slight bleeding spots under the skin, rash, bleeding nose, and bleeding gums. The rash usually shows up 3-4 days after onset of other symptoms and begins on the torso, spreading out to the face, arms and legs. In severe cases, the infection may result in circulatory failure, shock and death. Medical consultation is necessary, especially in cases of severe bleeding.

Breeding Site Reduction
Water management is essential for effective mosquito control, because eggs cannot Hatch unless they are on or in water. Tires, often found next to dwellings in close proximity to people, require special mention because they are primarily breeding places for mosquitoes. It is important to locate standing water around your home and eliminate it when possible.

Remove tin cans, old tires, buckets, glass jars, broken toys and other containers around the outside of your home or apartment.
Clean out roof gutters so that water does not accumulate.
Examine flat roofs after rains, making certain that no water remains.
Place tight covers over cisterns, cesspools, septic tanks, rain barrels, and tubs where hater is stored.
Do not over-apply lawn and garden irrigation, which could cause puddling in low areas.
Drain or fill stagnant water pools, puddles and ditches of swampy areas around the home.
Eliminate water-holding tree stumps and keep the grass mowed around pools and other bodies of water.
Check the water in flower pots and other containers for mosquito larvae.
Keep drainage ditches clean and flowing.

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