Type 2 diabetes raises risk of severe dengue complications: Review

A review paper by diabetes specialists found that people with Type 2 diabetes face a significantly higher risk of severe dengue complications. The authors recommended integrating dengue vaccination into routine diabetes care to reduce hospitalisation and improve outcomes in endemic regions

Thiruvananthapuram: People with Type 2 diabetes face a significantly higher risk of severe, life-threatening dengue complications, according to a review paper by leading specialists. The paper, which is slated for publication in the International Journal of Diabetes & Technology, calls for integrating dengue vaccination into routine diabetes care to better protect vulnerable populations in dengue-endemic regions.

The findings of the paper were shared with the media on Sunday. Led by diabetologist Dr Jothydev Kesavadev, the paper was co-authored by several leading diabetes experts from across the country, along with Dr Niti Pall, President-Elect of the International Diabetes Federation, Europe.

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The paper was recently presented at the 14th Jothydev’s Professional Education Forum Annual Global Diabetes Convention held in Kovalam, while the publication was released by Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan. According to the authors, persistently high blood sugar impairs immune function and damages blood vessels, making people with diabetes more susceptible to severe dengue infection.

They said such patients are more likely to develop an exaggerated inflammatory response, or a “cytokine storm”, which can result in dengue haemorrhagic fever, internal bleeding and, in severe cases, dengue shock syndrome, a potentially fatal condition marked by a sharp fall in blood pressure.

The review recommends incorporating dengue vaccination into routine diabetes management, saying it could help reduce severe illness and hospitalisation among high-risk individuals.

“People with diabetes represent one of the most vulnerable groups during dengue outbreaks. Integrating dengue vaccination into routine diabetes care has the potential to reduce severe illness and hospitalisation in dengue-endemic regions,” Dr Kesavadev said.

The authors said integrating infectious disease prevention with chronic disease management could strengthen healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes for millions of people living with diabetes in regions where dengue remains a major public health challenge, the statement added.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Around half of the world’s population is now at risk, with an estimated 100 million to 400 million infections reported annually, according to the World Health Organisation website.