What is it about?

Dengue, a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, is a major public health concern in Colombia. Between 2014 and 2016, chikungunya and Zika viruses, also transmitted by Aedes, started causing epidemics in the country for the first time. Using the number of cases from the Colombian National Surveillance System by municipality and week, this study revealed how chikungunya and Zika viruses spread within Colombia's territory. We also identified high-risk areas for dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, in separate and simultaneously.

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Why is it important?

Our findings suggest that the Caribbean region, a famous tourist destination in the country which includes the islands of San Andrés and Providencia, was likely the place of entry of chikungunya and Zika in Colombia. The diseases spread similarly, with Zika spreading faster, mostly from the Caribbean region and from the south-western region to the rest of the country. The south-western region was also identified as an important high-risk area for the three diseases. Other important high-risk areas for the three diseases were identified near the border with Ecuador, where important social and health vulnerabilities are present. In conclusion, actions to prevent the entry of new diseases and to reduce the burden of dengue, chikungunya and Zika should be targeted in these locations.

Perspectives

The collaboration of Colombian researchers in this paper was instrumental. Their extensive knowledge of the local context played a vital role in interpreting the data and analyzing the results, ensuring the practical relevance of our findings for public health authorities.

Laís Picinini Freitas
Universite de Montreal

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Spatio-temporal clusters and patterns of spread of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika in Colombia, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, August 2022, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010334.
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Contributors

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