For many Nigerian families, malaria and typhoid remain the first suspects whenever fever strikes. That was the case for 22-year-old Ifeoma Adindu, a final-year Biology Education student in the South-East, when she developed a sudden high fever, body aches, and a rash in late June. Her family assumed it was one of the familiar ailments. It was not.
After several days of worsening symptoms and little improvement with malaria medication, doctors later confirmed that Ifeoma had contracted dengue fever — a mosquito-borne viral infection that is gradually spreading across parts of Nigeria, though still widely underreported and often mistaken for other tropical diseases.
Growing Concern Over Dengue in Nigeria
Health experts warn that dengue, long associated with Asia and South America, has begun to establish a foothold in West Africa. Transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito — the same vector responsible for yellow fever and Zika virus — dengue often presents with symptoms that mimic malaria: fever, severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, nausea, and skin rashes.
Dr. Chika Nwokolo, an epidemiologist in Enugu, explained that the silent spread of the disease is particularly worrying because many cases go undiagnosed. “Patients present with malaria-like symptoms, and since malaria is endemic, doctors rarely test for dengue. This allows the virus to circulate unnoticed in communities,” she said.
A Hidden Public Health Burden
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue has become one of the fastest-spreading viral infections globally, with an estimated 100–400 million infections annually. While only a fraction of those cases result in severe illness, outbreaks have strained healthcare systems in countries like Brazil, India, and the Philippines.
Nigeria, with its warm climate, poor waste management, and inadequate mosquito control, provides favorable breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes. Stagnant water in open drains, uncovered water storage containers, and urban overcrowding all contribute to the risk.
In Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Enugu, hospitals have quietly recorded sporadic cases, though official figures remain scarce due to poor surveillance systems. Public health advocates fear the country may be underestimating the true scale of infections.
Misdiagnosis and Its Dangers
The biggest challenge, doctors say, is misdiagnosis. “When a patient like Ifeoma walks in with a fever, malaria is almost always the default assumption. But unlike malaria, dengue has no specific treatment. What the patient needs is early supportive care to prevent complications such as dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal,” Dr. Nwokolo added.
Calls for Urgent Action
Public health groups are urging the Federal Ministry of Health to scale up awareness campaigns and integrate dengue testing into routine fever diagnosis. They also recommend improving mosquito control measures beyond malaria-focused interventions.
Residents are advised to keep their surroundings clean, eliminate stagnant water, use mosquito repellents, and install nets on doors and windows.
For families like Ifeoma’s, the experience has been a wake-up call. “We thought it was just malaria,” her mother said. “Now we know there are other diseases we need to watch out for.”
As dengue quietly spreads, health experts warn that Nigeria may be facing a looming epidemic unless swift preventive steps are taken.
