Florida sees surge of locally transmitted dengue, dubbed “breakbone fever”
Dozens of Floridians have been diagnosed with dengue fever after being bitten by infected mosquitoes within the state, a disease usually linked to tropical travel.
In Florida, a cluster of dengue infections—often called “breakbone fever” because of the intense skeletal pain it provokes—has been confirmed in dozens of residents who contracted the virus from local mosquito bites. The cases are concentrated in Citrus, Pinellas (home to St. Peterburg) and Hillsborough (home to Tampa) counties, accounting for 39 of the 40 domestically acquired infections reported nationwide this year, with a solitary case in Virginia.
Dengue, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, traditionally affects travelers returning from regions such as the Caribbean, Central and South America, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, but climate-driven mosquito expansion is increasing U.S. exposure. The CDC notes that 75 % of the country now offers suitable habitat for these vectors, contributing to a 359 % jump in national dengue cases in 2024 compared with the two-decade average. While most infections are mild, one in twenty can become life-threatening, underscoring the need for heightened surveillance, vector control and public-health preparedness.
Why it matters
Rising local dengue cases signal expanding mosquito habitats and heightened public-health risk in the U.S.
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