Epidemiological profile of Dengue fever between 2018 and 2024 in the State of Paraná, Brazil

Abstract

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through mosquitoes infected with the Dengue Flavivirus, most of the Aedes aegypti species. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of Dengue in the State of Paraná, from 2018 to 2024. The results showed that the total number of suspected cases reported between 2018 and 2024 in the State of Paraná was 1,093,566. The highest number of suspected cases was in 2024 (n= 380,697), although only the first four months of this year were recorded. The cases were more predominant in female individuals (55.08%), aged between 20 and 39 years old (34.12%), and white (67.64%). Moreover, 80.44% had a confirmed diagnosis of the disease, 3.16% of cases required hospitalization, and 1,147 individuals died. The most prevalent serotype was DENV-1 (65.4%). Dengue control faces challenges: vector resistance to insecticides, the need for community engagement and climate change, influencing vector distribution and disease transmission. The development of vaccines and improvement of epidemiological surveillance systems are crucial to face the challenges of the disease. The control of the disease depends on new technologies, implementation of health and education strategies and community engagement to ensure the adoption and maintenance of Dengue control and prevention measures.