Dengue in the Middle East: a neglected, emerging disease of importance

Dengue transmission has increased worldwide, particularly in Asia and Latin America since the 1970s, but limited information on the disease is available from the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Yemen have reported a few epidemics of dengue. Three of the four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1-3) have been reported in the region. Climate conditions in the Middle East are not favourable for the disease vector, but all other risk factors for dengue are potentially increasing. The existence of a large immigrant work force from dengue-endemic countries, increased travel from and to dengue-endemic countries and increased urbanization are expected to increase the likelihood of the emergence of dengue in the Middle East. (C) 2011 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.