Warmer, Wetter Weather Boosts Dengue Fever Risk In US

NBC News (5/28, Martin, Sullivan, Thompson) reports the El Niño weather pattern has led to a warmer, wetter summer in the US, creating ideal conditions for the dengue-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to thrive and expand northward in the US. Dengue fever outbreaks now occur annually, according to CDC dengue fever researcher Dr. Gabriela Paz-Bailey, rather than every three to four years historically.