Summary
A virus called dengue (also known as break-bone fever) is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans. In tropical and subtropical regions, it is more prevalent.
A large percentage of dengue patients experience no symptoms. However, the most typical symptoms for those who do include rash, nausea, body aches, headaches, and high fever. Most will recover in one to two weeks as well. Certain individuals experience severe dengue and require hospital care.
Dengue can be lethal in severe cases.
By avoiding mosquito bites, particularly during the day, you can reduce your risk of contracting dengue.
Since there is currently no specific treatment for dengue, the illness is managed with painkillers.
Ailments
The majority of dengue patients have minimal or no symptoms and recover in one to two weeks. Dengue can occasionally be fatally severe.
Should symptoms arise, they typically start 4–10 days following infection and continue for 2–7 days. Possible symptoms include:
High fever (104°F/40°C)
excruciating headache; pain behind the eyes; aches in the muscles and joints
vomiting, rash, swollen glands, and nausea.
People who contract dengue virus for the second time are more likely to experience severe symptoms.
Serious dengue symptoms frequently appear after the fever has subsided:
Severe stomach ache
Persistent vomiting; fast breathing; bleeding gums or nose; exhaustion; restlessness; blood in the stool or vomit; extreme thirst; pale, cold skin; feeling weak.
Anyone exhibiting these severe symptoms needs to be seen right away.
Those who have had dengue may experience fatigue for a few weeks following their recovery.
Diagnostics and treatment
Most cases of dengue fever can be treated at home with pain medicine. Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to avoid getting dengue.
There is no specific treatment for dengue. The focus is on treating pain symptoms.
Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is often used to control pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin are avoided as they can increase the risk of bleeding.
There is a vaccine for people who have had dengue at least once and live in places where the disease is common.
For people with severe dengue, hospitalization is often needed.
Global burden
The incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades, with cases reported to WHO increased from 505 to 430 cases in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019. A vast majority of cases are asymptomatic or mild and self-managed, and hence the actual numbers of dengue cases are under-reported. Many cases are also misdiagnosed as other febrile illnesses (1).
One modelling estimate indicates 390 million dengue virus infections per year, of which 96 million manifest clinically (2). Another study on the prevalence of dengue estimates that 3.9 billion people are at risk of infection with dengue viruses.
The disease is now endemic in more than 100 countries in the WHO Regions of Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia and the Western Pacific. The Americas, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions are the most seriously affected, with Asia representing around 70% of the global disease burden.
Dengue is spreading to new areas including Europe, and explosive outbreaks are occurring. Local transmission was reported for the first time in France and Croatia in 2010 and imported cases were detected in 3 other European countries.
The largest number of dengue cases ever reported globally was in 2019. All regions were affected, and dengue transmission was recorded in Afghanistan for the first time. The American Region reported 3.1 million cases, with more than 25 000 classified as severe.
Dengue continues to affect Brazil, Colombia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, India, Kenya, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, the Reunion Islands and Vietnam as of 2021.
Control and prevention
Dengue-transmitting mosquitoes are most active during the day.
Reduce your chance of contracting dengue by shielding yourself from mosquito bites with:
Clothing that covers the most of your body
mosquito nets (ideally nets treated with insect repellent) if you sleep during the day; window screens; coils and vaporizers; mosquito repellents (containing DEET or IR3535).
Should you contract dengue, you should:
Consume a lot of liquids
When in pain, take acetaminophen (paracetamol) rather than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin and ibuprofen.
Keep an eye out for any severe symptoms, and get in touch with your doctor right away if you do.
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