Four more cases of dengue fever type 3 have been confirmed in Brazil. The patients are residents of Votuporanga in the interior of Sao Paulo. Health officials are warning of a resurgence of this type of disease, which could be serious for those already infected with types 1 and 2.

Type 3 dengue fever and four cases of the disease were confirmed in the joint venture – Photo: Freepik/Reproduction/ND

In May of this year, a study carried out by Fiocruz (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz) already showed a resurgence of this serotype.

In addition to São Paulo, a case of dengue type 3 was also confirmed in Santa Catarina in a patient from Itajaí. The specific case is imported, that is, the infection occurred not in Santa Catarina, but in Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic.

Cases of dengue type 3 confirmed in SP

The first case identified was a 34-year-old woman. The case attracted attention due to the intensity of the classic symptoms of the disease, such as fever, vomiting, pain and red spots on the body, as well as bleeding from the nose and urine.

The Wotuporangi Municipal Health Department said seven more cases are considered suspicious. The results of the collected samples showed that out of the seven, three had dengue fever type 3. The diagnosed patients were women aged 5, 31 and 46 years. The cases occurred in the same area, in a microdistrict in the south of the city. The patients are at home and feeling well.

According to the state Department of Health, there are no other cases of type 3 in other municipalities in the state of São Paulo. is held every year, regardless of origin.

A type 3 case was also reported in a patient from Itajaí, in Santa Catarina.

There is a risk of epidemic

Fiocruz explains that dengue fever has four serotypes. Moreover, infection with one of them creates immunity against the same serotype, but a person can become infected with dengue fever if he has contact with another serotype. Because few people have been infected with type 3, there is a risk of epidemic since immunity against this serotype is low.

“The problem is that the symptoms of dengue type 3 are the same as those of types 1 and 2. Because many people have already had types 1 and 2, when type 3 appears, they may develop a severe form of the disease, which can lead to overcrowding in emergency departments and hospitals,” says infectious disease specialist Kleber Luz, coordinator Arboviral Committee of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases. Therefore, the infectious disease specialist warns, it is necessary to be more vigilant against severe forms of the disease. “From a clinical point of view there is no difference, but what gets the most attention is the severity of the case because it is a sequential infection. For example, in Mexico and Central America, the disease has caused more deaths,” adds Kleber Luz.

Warning symptoms of the disease include: fever, red spots on the body, abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, also accompanied by bleeding from the gums, nose or urine.

People are advised to seek medical help as soon as they notice any symptoms. Methods for preventing the disease are already known to the population, namely the elimination of outbreaks of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carriers of dengue fever. To do this, simply keep your yard clean to avoid pooling water, which is a breeding ground for insects. It is also important to obtain medical agents to check for possible mosquito outbreaks.