Part 2 book “Tropical diseases - A practical guide for medical practitioners and students” has contents: Common diseases, rare diseases, exotic food poisoning, travelers and tropical diseases, heat-related illnesses, animal-induced diseases, tropical health hazards. | Part 4 Viral Diseases Viral diseases are divided into two categories, those that are (1) common and familiar to medical practitioners and/or have a high incidence and (2) rare and uncommon to most of them and/or have a low incidence, particularly in tropical countries. Dengue Fever (or Breakbone Fever) Flavivirus types DEN1, DEN 2, DEN3, and DEN4 Historical Background The first cases of dengue fever were described in Australia in 1897. It was first reported in the United States in 1922, in South Africa in 1927, in Greece in 1928, and in Taiwan in 1931. In Thailand, the first cases were registered at the end of World War II. The disease surfaced in India with an epidemic in 1966, which started in the Philippines in 1953 and spread throughout the main cities of Southeast Asia. In 1964, 4,000 cases were identified in Bangkok. An epidemic struck Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Senegal in 1980–1981. Another outbreak occurred simultaneously in the West Indies, mainly targeting Cuba. New Caledonia was hit by outbreaks of dengue fever in 1989 and 1995. In both cases, the type 3 virus was predominant. Epidemics of dengue fever occurred in Costa Rica in 1993, Laos in 1994, Venezuela in 1995, and India in 1996. In 1996, there were 3,128 cases of dengue fever in Singapore (three deaths), 8,000 cases in Vietnam (34 deaths), 14,244 cases in Malaysia (31 deaths), and 3,024 cases in Jakarta, Indonesia (34 deaths). Malaysia experienced another outbreak in 1997. Since then, there has been an increase in dengue epidemics worldwide. In early 2007, Paraguay declared a 60-day state of emergency with tens of thousands of cases and at least 10 deaths. There was also an epidemic in Brazil. Southeast Asia was hit to record levels in the same year. In October 2011, the Republic of the Marshall Islands declared a state of emergency due to a large dengue outbreak. In 2011, 1,034,064 cases were reported to the Pan American Health Organization including 716 deaths with outbreaks 205 Common .
