Resumo

RECIO-DOMINGO, Marcela; FERRIN RUI-DIAZ, José Ignacio; FIGUEROA-CORDOVA, Dinora  e  HERNANDEZ-CHAVARRIA, Francisco. Epidemiología del dengue en el cantón de Esparza, Puntarenas, Costa Rica 1997-2002. Rev. costarric. cienc. méd [online]. 2002, vol.23, n.3-4, pp.145-150. ISSN 0253-2948.

Dengue is the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease. The etiological agent is a flavivirus calied Dengue virus and the main vector is Aedes aegypti, a mosquito adapted to human environment. This disease reemerged in Costa Rica in 1993 and now is endemic in the Pacific cost, mainly in Puntarenas city. The aim of this report is the description of some aspects of dengue in the town of Esparza, Puntarenas, Costa Rica during the last five years. The most important epidemic peak of dengue occurred between June and December 1997, with 1347 cases. That pattern, characterized by the absence of cases during the first five to seven month of each year was stable until 2001. This year there were cases of disease all the months that increase in frequent at the end of the year to get an epidemic peak during January-February of 2002, with 90 and 77 cases, respectively. ls important the evaluation of the possible epidemiological determinants evolved in the change of the pattern of dengue in Esparza; one of the most important factors could be the poor water supplied, because many families adopted the practice of accumulated water containers in their homes and bored wells.

Palavras-chave : Dengue; Aedes aegypti; flavivirus.