Early determination of the reproductive number for vector-borne diseases: the case of dengue in Brazil.

Objective To evaluate a new method of deriving the reproductive number for vector-borne diseases from the early epidemic curves for vector-borne diseases with incubations in the vectors and in the hosts. Method We applied the model to several dengue epidemics in different climatic regions of Brazil: Brasilia, Belém, Fortaleza, Boa Vista. Results The new method leads to higher estimates of the reproductive number than previous models. Conclusion At present, Aedes aegypti densities, the meeting of more compatible strains of viruses and mosquitoes, may lead to re-emergence of urban yellow fever epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]