ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 20, 1995                   TAG: 9510200058
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: HARLINGEN, TEXAS                                LENGTH: Short

AMERICAN MOSQUITO GAVE DENGUE FEVER

Health officials have confirmed the first case of dengue fever contracted inside the United States since 1986 - a 54-year-old Texas woman who became ill with the painful mosquito-borne disease Sept. 16.

The woman, who wasn't identified, has since recovered, the state Health Department said.

Health officials warned Thursday that the United States is ripe for the virus because of outbreaks in Puerto Rico, Central America and Mexico, near the U.S. border.

The virus lasts up to seven days and causes muscle and joint pain, high fever, intense headaches and diarrhea. There is no known cure, and the patient usually recovers when it runs its course.

- Associated Press 


 by CNB