High risk of dengue type 2 outbreak in French Polynesia, 2017

摘要

In French Polynesia, the four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV-1 to -4) have caused 14 epidemics since the mid-1940s. From the end of 2016, an increasing number of Pacific Island Countries and Territories have reported DENV-2 outbreaks and in February 2017, DENV-2 infection was detected in French Polynesia in three travellers from Vanuatu. As DENV-2 has not been circulating in French Polynesia since December 2000, there is high risk for an outbreak to occur. Keywords: Arbovirus, Dengue virus, Serotype 2, outbreak, French Polynesia, PacificIn February 2017, three travellers from Vanuatu were diagnosed with dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) infection in French Polynesia (a French collectivity in the South Pacific). As DENV-2 has not been circulating in the country for ca 16 years, we discuss here the risk factors that could contribute in a near future to the re-emergence of this virus in French Polynesia and to subsequent dissemination to other, not yet affected, Pacific islands and continental countries having close links with European overseas countries and territories.Detection of imported cases of DENV-2 infections in French PolynesiaA soccer contest involving participants from Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu was organised in French Polynesia in February 2017. Because of the ongoing circulation of DENV-2 in several of these Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) (Figure 1) [1,2], surveillance measures were strengthened by the French Polynesia Direction of Health. Open in a separate windowFigure 1 Map of DENV-2 epidemics reported in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories, February–March 2017DENV: dengue virus.Areas where DENV-2 epidemics have been recorded are surrounded by red circles. French Polynesia is indicated by a blue circle.Source: [1,2]; map downloaded from: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Armita.