Fevered Cities : A History of Dengue Epidemics

A global history of dengue fever and humanity's ongoing struggle against this persistent disease. In Fevered Cities, Randall M. Packard explores the complex and evolving history of dengue fever, the world's most widespread mosquito-borne viral disease.From its early manifestations in the eighteenth century to its current prevalence across more than one hundred countries, this book traces how dengue emerged as a global health challenge shaped by ecological, social, and economic conditions. Packard examines the disease's spread through urban landscapes, focusing on specific cities like Philadelphia, Manila, Havana, and Rio de Janeiro to illustrate how local contexts have defined outbreaks and responses.He highlights the transformation of dengue from a poorly understood physiological ailment to a vector-borne disease tied to the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and later to more severe conditions like dengue hemorrhagic fever.As climate change expands the geographical range of mosquito habitats an