Seminole County Man Recovers from Dengue Fever Acquired in UCF Area
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
By: Nicole Creston

Oct 30, 2012 | WMFE - An Orlando-area man is recovering from a case of dengue fever he caught near the University of Central Florida. Orange and Seminole County Health Department officials are warning residents to take care while trick-or-treating or spending time in mosquito-prone areas.

The 19-year-old Seminole County man was diagnosed based on symptoms and lab tests, health officials said Tuesday, adding this is the area’s first case of locally-acquired dengue fever in decades.

Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms of dengue fever include a fever over 101 degrees, nausea, and severe muscle, bone and head aches. Mosquito control workers are investigating the area near the Orange-Seminole County line, where the man contracted the disease.

The illness once disappeared from the United States, but cases sprung up in the Florida Keys in 2009 and 2010….and just last month, a case was reported in South Florida. That patient also recovered.

Health officials say residents can protect themselves by reducing their exposure to mosquitoes. They recommend trick-or-treaters cover up or use insect repellent and ask homeowners to drain standing water, a breeding place for mosquitoes.

For more information on dengue fever, go to CDC.gov.