A mosquito-borne virus that prompted Brazil to declare a state of emergency could cause an unusual and embarrassing new symptom, scientists say.
Dengue fever – which usually involves fever, rash and internal bleeding – has now been linked to spontaneous erections that last for hours.
Doctors in Burkina Faso, West Africa, put forward the theory after treating a 17-year-old boy who was in the emergency department with a severe dengue infection.
The youngster had acute ischaemia – where the blood supply to part of the body is interrupted – and kidney problems as a result of his infection.
But doctors also noted that he suffered from a “soft… persistent” erection that lasted for 18 hours and had occurred “without any sexual stimulation.”
Rio de Janeiro declared a state of emergency amid rising cases of dengue fever, as millions of tourists prepared to come to Brazil for the city’s famous Carnival. Pictured: A health worker smokes against mosquitoes in Brazil, February 2
A patient is taken to a hospital after receiving medical care at a makeshift military aid station set up to treat suspected cases of dengue fever in Brazil, February 6
The above map shows US states that reported locally acquired dengue infections between 2010 and 2023
They think this may be caused by the virus infecting the blood vessels in the penis and causing plasma fluid to leak into the shaft, making the penis appear larger and firmer than its flaccid state.
Writing in the diary Urological case reportsthe doctors said: ‘Dengue, by causing vascular leaks, can be a rare trigger for arterial priapism (spontaneous erections)’.
US-based scientists told DailyMail.com it was certainly ‘possible’ that dengue could cause spontaneous erections, pointing out that Covid, mumps and even rabies have previously been linked to the symptom.
But they said it’s likely an extremely rare complication.
It comes as Florida has reported two cases of dengue fever contracted locally so far this year. There have also been five cases reported in residents who had recently traveled out of state. Last year, doctors issued a warning after an increase in infections.
There is also a major outbreak in Brazil with 340,000 reported cases – four times more than the same period last year.
The country is setting up emergency clinics to deal with the surge of patients and says 40 deaths from dengue have been confirmed so far.
In the case in Burkina Faso, the doctor treated the boy’s erection with an ice pack, which caused the blood vessels to constrict, reducing the amount of fluid in the penis.
The patient also had no medical history or underlying conditions, such as sickle cell disease, which has previously been linked to spontaneous erections.
He was treated with antiviral drugs for the infection and after three and six months of follow-up he was healthy and back to normal.
Doctors said he had no complaints and was able to get a normal erection without pain or problems.
Outbreaks of dengue were previously rare in the US, but warming temperatures are making the viral infection increasingly common – as mosquitoes advance further north.
About 1,000 Americans are now infected with dengue fever every year, a tenfold increase since 2019, when barely 100 infections were recorded per year.
The number of dengue cases per year is currently at the highest level since 2013, following a major outbreak in south Texas.
Florida is the only state to report cases of dengue in the U.S. so far this year, though the infections are becoming more common.
Currently, about 1,000 people in the US are infected with dengue every year, ten times more than before the pandemic. However, the number of cases is still lower than in 2013, when an outbreak in Texas led to almost 10,000 cases being discovered
Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes, where the virus infects the blood vessels
Erections are normally caused by the blood vessels in the penis dilating, allowing fluids to flow into the erectile tissue called the corpus cavernosum.
Dr. Richard Murphy, who advised Doctors Without Borders in Africa for seven years, said it was possible that dengue could cause spontaneous erections – or priapism.
“Viruses have been linked to priapism in the past, including Covid, mumps and even rabies,” he told this website.
‘So it is possible that other viruses are associated with it.’
He suggested that if this symptom were proven, it would likely be extremely rare, as so many dengue infections have been recorded previously.
Dengue fever is spread through the bites of mosquitoes, which inject the virus into humans when they suck a person’s blood.
Most patients have no symptoms, but just under half will develop warning signs of the disease, including sudden headaches, fever and pain behind the eyes.
It can also cause pain in the joints – such as knees and elbows – that is so severe that it feels like they are being crushed, earning it the nickname “breakbone fever.”
In severe cases, the disease leads to life-threatening complications such as dengue shock syndrome – characterized by severe bleeding – and encephalitis, or swelling of the brain.
Doctors treat patients with a combination of painkillers, fluids and machines to monitor the disease.
But this is labor intensive and often leaves hospitals with little bandwidth to treat other patients.
There is also a vaccine available against the disease called Qdenga, which is recommended for children aged six to sixteen years old in areas where the disease is endemic.