The economic cost of dengue in Latin America is high, exceeding US$ 3 billion annually; in some countries, such as Brazil, it may be as high as US$ 1.4 billion annually.

The main economic impact of dengue was due to productivity costs. Average annual cost was more than US$ 3 billion. Direct costs represented over 70% of the total share for hospitalized cases. For outpatients, direct medical costs were low, but social costs were significant since indirect costs may account for up to 80% of the total cost. Conclusions. Dengue fever has a significant economic impact in Latin America. It is essential to develop new public health interventions, such as dengue vaccination, to decrease the propagation of the disease and its total cost.

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