MYTH

Can only those who have not had dengue take the vaccine available in the SUS?

The vaccine is registered with an indication for the prevention of dengue caused by any serotype of the virus, regardless of previous exposure or not.

Reference:
SAÚDE, Ministry of. Ministry of Health incorporates dengue vaccine into SUS. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Is the vaccine available in the SUS not indicated for pregnant women?

vaccine is contraindicated during pregnancy, especially because it contains the live virus Mitigated. It is also contraindicated for breastfeeding women.

Reference:
Qdenga Product Leaflet^®

MYTH

The vaccine only protects against one dengue serotype

In a two-dose scheme, the dengue vaccine protects against the four serotypes of the disease.

Reference:
SAÚDE, Ministry of. Qdenga (attenuated dengue vaccine 1, 2, 3 and 4: new registration. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

MYTH

Is the vaccine that is in the SUS indicated only for a specific group?

The vaccine is indicated for the prevention of dengue caused by any serotype of the virus in individuals from 4 to 60 years of age.

Reference:
SAÚDE, Ministry of. Qdenga (attenuated dengue vaccine 1, 2, 3 and 4: new registration. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Is the Takeda vaccine already available in the public network?

On February 9, 2024, vaccination against dengue began in Brazil, with a focus on initially in the public from 10 to 14 years of age.

Reference:
Reference: HEALTH, Ministry of. In a new step in the fight against dengue, Brazil starts vaccinating children. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Is Brazil the first country in the world to offer the vaccine?

Brazil is the first country in the world to offer this form of protection, with the introduction of the public calendar in December 2023.

Reference:
SAÚDE, Ministry of. The first doses of the dengue vaccine arrive in Brazil. Available in: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Is the vaccine available in the SUS 80.2% effective against any serotype?

In the clinical evaluation, the vaccine demonstrated an overall efficacy of 80.2% against dengue caused by any serotype, within 12 months of administration.

Reference:
SAÚDE, Ministry of. Qdenga (attenuated dengue vaccine 1, 2, 3 and 4: new registration. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

MYTH

Doesn't the vaccine available in the SUS have safety studies?

To evaluate the safety of the vaccine, a total of 19 clinical studies, with about 28,000 participants from dengue-endemic and non-endemic regions were performed.

Reference:
SAÚDE, Ministry of. Qdenga® (attenuated dengue vaccine 1, 2, 3 and 4: new registration. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Is fighting dengue in the law?

Law number 13,301, of June 27, 2016, provides for the adoption of surveillance measures in when a situation of imminent danger to public health is verified, due to the presence of the mosquito that transmits the dengue virus, the Aedes aegypti.

Reference:
Presidency of the Republic. General Secretariat. Available at:

MYTH

Can rivers, streams and streams be breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito?

Places with running water are not possible breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito. The concern of these places is due to the garbage accumulated on the banks, which usually gather containers, tires and other objects that may contain standing water.

Reference:
Health, Secretariat of. Joinville City Hall. 10 myths and truths about dengue. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Can an infected person pass the disease on to another?

There is no transmission by direct contact or secretions to other people. Also it is not transmitted by contact with water sources, food or personal belongings of the person Infected.

Reference:
PARANÁ. Department of Education. Frequently asked questions about Dengue. Available at: . Accessed in February 2024.

TRUTH

Can Dengue be contracted more than once?

There are four variants of the dengue virus, DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. In this way, when infected by one of the serotypes, the person develops specific protection and becomes immune to this serotype. For the other serotypes, this protection happens in a cross-functional way and is short-lived. Thus, a person can contract dengue up to four times. Secondary infections by other serotypes increase the risk of severe dengue.

Reference
World Health Organization - WHO. Available in https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed on 06/2021.

TRUTH

Do summer and rainy season increase the risks of the virus?

It is common for dengue epidemics to occur in the rainy season, between October and March, because environmental conditions are more conducive to the development of Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs.¹

However, it is important to maintain hygiene and be careful with all places that can accumulate standing water at any time of the year, as Aedes aegypti eggs are resistant to desiccation and can survive in the environment for approximately 450 days. Even places with little water can become potential breeding grounds for the dengue mosquito, as they favor the hatching of larvae.¹

Reference
Ministry of Health. Available in https://antigo.saude.gov.br/saude-de-a-z/combate-ao-aedes. Accessed on 06/2021.

MYTH

Does the Aedes aegypti mosquito only attack during the day?

Commonly, the Aedes aegypti bites during the day, but, depending on the need and the environment, it can bite at night as well. For example: if there is a vector mosquito inside the house and the resident spends the whole day outside, without a source of food, it can happen that the Aedes aegypti bites at night to feed. It is most easily found in shady and dark places, such as behind the refrigerator, curtains, or wardrobe. It is important to ventilate the house, open the windows and ventilate the environments, as the dengue mosquito has photophobia - aversion to light.¹

Reference
Ministry of Health. Available in https://antigo.saude.gov.br/saude-de-a-z/combate-ao-aedes. Accessed on 06/2021.

TRUTH

Are some products able to repel the dengue mosquito?

Citronella, andiroba and clove oil are products that can drive away Aedes aegypti momentarily, but they are not a guarantee of mosquito extermination. It is recommended to observe what the Ministry of Health recommends: check for deposits and/or any object that can accumulate water at home, construction sites or companies.¹

Reference
Ministry of Health. Available in https://antigo.saude.gov.br/saude-de-a-z/combate-ao-aedes. Accessed on 06/2021.

MYTH

Are dengue cases concentrated only in the hottest regions of Brazil?

Dengue is present throughout Brazil. In 2020, of the 987,173 diagnosed in the country, 281,786 were registered in the South region, the coldest in Brazil.¹

Reference
Epidemiological Bulletin 03. Health Surveillance Secretariat. Ministry of Health. Volume 52. January/2021.

MYTH

Do all people bitten by Aedes aegypti develop dengue?

Not all Aedes aegypti is a carrier of a virus. For the virus to be transmitted, the mosquito must be infected and other factors can also influence the transmission or not of the virus by the vector. In addition, not all infected people get sick. Each year, up to 400 million people in the world are infected with dengue. Approximately 100 million fall ill from the infection and 22,000 die from severe dengue.¹

Reference
Center for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC. Available in https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/areaswithrisk/around-the-world.html. Accessed on 06/2021.