Dengue linked to heightened risk of depression

Research from Taiwan suggests that dengue fever may increase the risk of depression in both the short and long term. Hsin-I Shih and colleagues from the National Cheng Kung University and National Health Research Institutes analysed the medical records of nearly 50,000 people who had dengue fever and compared them with 226,670 people who did not have the disease. Their findings were published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Dengue fever is caused by a mosquito-borne virus and can range from mild to severe, with some people experiencing long-term health effects. While previous research has linked dengue fever with psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety, few studies have looked at the long-term risks.

To fill this gap, Shih and colleagues studied medical records from 2002 to 2015, focusing on whether dengue patients developed anxiety, depression, or sleep disorders after infection. They found that dengue patients were more likely to develop depression at all time points studied: less than three months, three to 12 months, and more than 12 months after infection. Sleep disorders were more common within three to 12 months post-infection, but there was no increased risk of anxiety overall.

For patients whose dengue was severe enough to require hospitalisation, there was a higher risk of anxiety within the first three months and sleep disorders within the first year. This group also had a higher risk of depression across all time frames.

These findings suggest a link between dengue fever and depression. However, more research is needed to understand whether dengue directly causes depression or if other factors are involved. The authors emphasise the importance of studying the mental health impacts of dengue infection further.