Dengue surveillance in Florida, 1997-98

Recent dengue outbreaks in the Caribbean and Central and South America and the presence of competent mosquito vectors increase the likelihood of futur e autochthonous transmission in Florida. During April 1997 to March 1998, a laboratory-based active surveillance program detected 18 cases of dengue i nvolving all four dengue serotypes. All patients reported recent travel to countries with indigenous dengue transmission. These results demonstrate th at dengue infections are imported into Florida at a much higher rate than r eflected by previous passive surveillance; therefore, the risk for local de ngue transmission may be increasing.