Detection of dengue in German tourists returning from Ibiza, Spain, related to an autochthonous outbreak, August to October 2022

A local dengue transmission event on Ibiza, Spain, was documented for the first time in 2022. The study identified two confirmed and four possible cases among German tourists who traveled to Ibiza between late August and early October 2022. Symptoms appeared shortly after return, with one case confirmed by NS1 antigen and IgM antibodies, while another tested positive for DENV IgM. A probable source case, likely infected in a dengue-endemic country, was traced to the same municipality in Ibiza, suggesting local transmission. The presence of Aedes albopictus, a known dengue vector established on Ibiza since 2014, supported this finding. The study highlights the emerging risk of dengue in non-endemic European regions due to mosquito vectors and travel-related introductions.

García-San-Miguel, L., Giménez-Durán, J., Saravia-Campelli, G., Calvo-Reyes, M. C., Fernández-Martínez, B., Frank, C., Wilking, H., García Janer, R., Miranda, M. Á., Aznar Cano, E., Sierra Moros, M. J., & Riutort, A. N. (2024). Detection of dengue in German tourists returning from Ibiza, Spain, related to an autochthonous outbreak, August to October 2022. Eurosurveillance, 29(14). https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.es.2024.29.14.2300296