Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that causes high fever, severe joint pains, and a skin rash. It is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with one of four dengue viruses. Symptoms typically appear 4-7 days after being bitten and include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and skin rash. In some cases, the disease can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever which can be life-threatening. There is no vaccine to prevent or medication to treat dengue fever, so prevention focuses on eliminating mosquito breeding sites and using insect repellent and protective clothing when outdoors.

1. Dengue fever
Dengue fever is a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by any one of
fourcloselyrelated dengueviruses. Dengue fever is transmitted bythe bite ofan Aedes
mosquito infected with a dengue virus.
Themosquito becomesinfected whenit bites apersonwithdengue virus in their blood.
It can’tbe spread directlyfromone personto anotherperson. It occurs in tropical and
subtropical areas of the world. Millions of cases of dengue infection occur
worldwide each year. Dengue fever is most common in Southeast Asia and the
western Pacific islands, but the disease has been increasing rapidly in Latin America
and the Caribbean.
Symptoms
Many people, especially children and teens, may experience no signs or symptoms
during a mild case of dengue fever. When symptoms do occur, they usually begin
four to seven days after you are bitten by an infected mosquito.
Dengue fever causes a high fever 104 F degrees and at least two of the following
symptoms:
 Headache
 Muscle, bone and joint pain
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Pain behind the eyes
 Swollen glands
 Rash
Most people recover within a week or so. In some cases, symptoms worsen and can
become life-threatening. Blood vessels often become damaged and leaky. And the
number of clot-forming cells (platelets) in your bloodstream drops. This can cause a

2. severe form of dengue fever, called dengue hemorrhagic fever, severe dengue or
dengue shock syndrome.
Signs and symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever or severe dengue a life-
threatening emergency
include:
 Severe abdominal pain
 Persistent vomiting
 Bleeding from your gums or nose
 Blood in your urine, stools or vomit
 Bleeding under the skin, which might look like bruising
 Difficult or rapid breathing
 Cold or clammy skin (shock)
 Fatigue
 Irritability or restlessness
Diagnosing Dengue Fever
Doctors can diagnose dengue infection with a blood test to check for the virus or
antibodies to it. If you become sick after traveling to a tropical area, let your doctor
know. This will allow your doctor to evaluate the possibility that your symptoms
were caused by a dengue infection.
Treatment for Dengue Fever
There is no specific medicine to treat dengue infection. If you think you may have
dengue fever, you should use pain relievers with acetaminophen and avoid
medicines with aspirin, which could worsen bleeding. You should also rest, drink
plenty of fluids, and see your doctor. If you start to feel worse in the first 24 hours
after your fever goes down, you should get to a hospital immediately to be checked
for complications.

3. To protect yourself:
 Stay away from heavily populated residential areas, if possible.
 Use mosquito repellents, even indoors.
 When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks.
 When indoors, use air conditioning if available.
 Make sure window and door screens are secure and free of holes. If sleeping
areas are not screened or air conditioned, use mosquito nets.
 If you have symptoms of dengue, speak to your doctor.
To reducethemosquito population, getrid ofplaceswheremosquitoescanbreed. These
include old tires, cans, or flower pots that collect rain. Regularly change the water in
outdoor bird baths and pets' water dishes.
One dengue fever vaccine, Dengvaxia, is currently approved for use in those ages 9
to 45 who live in areas with a high incidence of dengue fever. The vaccine is given
in three doses over the courseof 12 months. Dengvaxia prevents dengue infections
slightly more than half the time.
The vaccine is approved only forolder children becauseyounger vaccinated children
appear to be at increased risk of severe dengue fever and hospitalization two years
after receiving the vaccine.
The World Health Organization stresses that the vaccine is not an effective tool, on
its own, to reduce dengue fever in areas where the illness is common. Controlling
the mosquito population and human exposure is still the most critical part of
prevention efforts.
So for now, if you're living or traveling in an area where dengue fever is known to
be, the best way to avoid dengue fever is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that
carry the disease.