Experts Urge Dengue Vaccination Amid Climate Change
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Health experts are urging the strengthening of dengue fever (DHF) prevention efforts through vaccination for children and adults, amidst the increasing risk of disease spread caused by climate change and the El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to continue until the end of 2026.
“As the weather becomes hotter due to rising global temperatures, mosquitoes feed on blood more frequently. If at normal temperatures a mosquito bites every five days, at higher temperatures the frequency could become every two days. This increases the risk of dengue transmission,” said the Chairman of the Adult Immunisation Task Force of the Indonesian Society of Internal Medicine (PAPDI), Dr Sukamto Koesnoe, on Friday.
Sukamto explained that climate change affects the lifestyle patterns of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector for dengue. The dry conditions often accompanying El Niño also encourage the public to store water in various containers, which have the potential to become breeding grounds for mosquitoes if not managed properly.
“Adults are not immune to dengue. In fact, they belong to the productive age group that serves as the backbone of the family, so when they fall ill, the impact is felt by all family members,” he said.
He added that dengue infection in adults can lead to serious complications, particularly in patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To date, dengue treatment remains supportive, making prevention the primary step.
“Almost 48 per cent of cases occur in the age group below 14 years, and the 5 to 14 age group is the highest contributor to deaths due to dengue,” he said.
Sukamto explained that the dengue virus has four serotypes, meaning someone who has been previously infected can still be re-infected by another serotype with the risk of more severe symptoms. He also warned that the progression of the disease can worsen rapidly when a patient enters the critical phase.
Sukamton stated that the dengue vaccine has been recommended in the PAPDI adult immunisation schedule since 2025 and, based on scientific evidence, can help reduce the risk of severe dengue as well as the need for hospitalisation.