Floods, mozzies and dengue - what can pharmacists do?

The arrival of summer in much of northern Australia signals not only the return of the rains but also the re-emergence of several serious and potentially lethal diseases. While these diseases have traditionally been considered the domain of practitioners based in tropical regions, many factors appear to contribute to the increased appearance of these diseases outside their normal ranges. The incredibly heavy rains and consequent southward moving flooding in the past month has only made the spread of these formerly tropical-only diseases more likely. This article focuses on one such example - dengue fever. The causative organism, route of transmission and progression of the disease will be discussed, along with the current treatment guidelines. The pharmacist's role in identifying and referring suspected cases will also be discussed. This role is often overlooked but is absolutely crucial in the rapid identification and treatment of infected people. Finally, information about avoiding the vector mosquito that can be given to concerned patients by pharmacists is provided