title: First description of a dengue fever outbreak in the interior of French Guiana, February 2006.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A dengue fever outbreak occurred in the interior of French Guiana from November 2005 onwards. An investigation, with epidemiological, entomological and public health inputs, was initiated. Its objectives were to confirm the outbreak, to describe the emergence of dengue fever in the High Maroni area and to initiate a specific public health response.
  
  
  METHODS
  The investigation was conducted in Maripasoula in February 2006, the biggest community in that part of the country. Definition criteria were used for suspected, probable and confirmed cases of dengue fever. An entomological evaluation for larvae and adult mosquitoes was carried out. Some personal and collective vector control measures were set up by the vector control team.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This survey identified 127 suspected dengue fever cases, whereas the epidemiological surveillance system detected only six probable and confirmed cases from the same place and for the same period. The proportion of dengue fever was higher in those people who had not travelled (23.5%) than within the population that had travelled (15.3%) in the three previous months (P = 0.01). Larvae of Stegomyia aegypti were found throughout the town, and adults were captured in 90.9% of the houses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first time that a dengue fever outbreak has been described beyond the coastal region of this French overseas Department.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, France. jbmeynard@pasteur-cayenne.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Meynard
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ardillon
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Venturin
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravachol
authors.forename: Célia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basurko
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matheus
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaborit
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grenier
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dussart
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quénel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000635:transmission; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005616:French Guiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods