Preliminary results on an autochthonous dengue outbreak in Lombardy Region, Italy, August 2023
Irene Cassaniti, Guglielmo Ferrari, Sabrina Senatore, Eva Rossetti, Francesco Defilippo, Manuel Maffeo, Luigi Vezzosi, Giulia Campanini, Antonella Sarasini, Stefania Paolucci, Antonio Piralla, Davide Lelli, Ana Moreno, Maira Bonini, Marcello Tirani, Lorenzo Cerutti, Stefano Paglia, Angelo Regazzetti, Marco Farioli, Antonio Lavazza, Marino Faccini, Francesca Rovida, Danilo Cereda, Fausto Baldanti, Lombardy Dengue network
Abstract
In August 2023, six locally acquired dengue virus 1 infections were detected in Lodi province, Lombardy Region, in northern Italy, where the vector Aedes albopictus is present. Four cases were hospitalised, none died. The viruses clustered with Peruvian and Brazilian strains collected between 2021 and 2023. This preliminary report highlights the importance of continued integrated surveillance of imported vector-borne virus infections and the potential for tropical disease outbreaks in highly populated regions of northern Italy where competent vectors are present.