Locally Acquired Dengue Cases Reported in California

September 25, 2024

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating a cluster of locally acquired cases of dengue virus (DENV). The county reported two new cases on Sept. 18 in residents with no travel history to dengue-endemic regions, bringing the county's total to three in 2024. This marks a rare instance of local dengue transmission in an area where the disease is not typically spread by mosquitoes.

The California cluster follows previously reported cases of locally transmitted DENV in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On June 25, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to notify health care providers, public health authorities and the public of an increased risk of dengue virus (DENV) infections in the U.S.

AABB’s recently updated emerging infectious diseases fact sheets contain additional information about DENV and other infectious diseases relevant to donor and patient health and safety.