THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are at a significantly higher risk of developing severe and potentially life-threatening complications from the dengue virus, reveals a ground-breaking review paper by leading diabetes specialists.
The research paper, scheduled for upcoming publication in the prestigious International Journal of Diabetes & Technology (IJDT), also strongly pitches for integrating dengue vaccination in routine diabetes treatment regimens to better protect vulnerable populations from this seasonal threat.
The paper was recently presented at the 14th JPEF (Jothydev’s Professional Education Forum) Annual Global Diabetes Convention at Uday Samudra, Kovalam. The publication in IJDT was released by Health Minister K Muraleedharan.
“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. Further clinical research will help optimise vaccination strategies for this high-risk population,” said Dr Jothydev Kesavadev, lead author of the paper.
“This roadmap promises a transformative future where a simple shot administered during a routine diabetes check-up can shield millions of individuals living with diabetes worldwide from a deadly seasonal threat, fundamentally redefining health defence,” he added.
The authors contend that integrating infectious disease prevention with chronic disease management could strengthen healthcare delivery and improve outcomes for millions of people living with diabetes.
The paper is co-authored by a group of India’s top pioneers in diabetes treatment, including Dr Banshi Saboo, Dr Shashank R Joshi, Dr Anuj Maheshwari, Dr Sanjay Kalra, Dr Anoop Misra, Dr Amit Gupta, Dr Rakesh Parikh, Dr Manoj Chawla, Dr Sunil Gupta, Dr Anjana Ranjit Mohan and Dr Sanjay Agarwal alongside international public health leader and president-elect of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Europe Dr Niti Pall.
The clinical panel warns that chronic high blood sugar impairs immune function by progressively damaging blood vessels, making people with diabetes more vulnerable to severe dengue infection. This can also damage blood vessels.
Once infected, these patients are more likely to develop an exaggerated inflammatory response, commonly known as a cytokine storm, which can lead to internal bleeding through Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and even a life-threatening collapse in blood pressure known as Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). The review highlights the need to bridge what the gap in current clinical practice by incorporating modern dengue vaccination into routine, everyday diabetes management.
