Overview Of Dengue
Dengue fever is a virus-caused disease that is spread by mosquitoes.
Commonly Associated With
O’nyong-nyong fever; Dengue-like disease; Breakbone fever
Causes Of Dengue
Dengue fever is caused by 1 of 4 different but related viruses. It is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which is found in tropic and subtropic regions.
This area includes parts of:
- Indonesian archipelago into northeastern Australia
- South and Central America
- Southeast Asia
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Some parts of the Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands)
- It is rare in the US mainland, but has been found in Florida and Texas.
This condition should not be confused with dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is a separate disease caused by the same type of virus but has much more severe symptoms.
Symptoms Of Dengue
Dengue fever begins with a sudden high fever, often as high as 105°F (40.5°C), 4 to 7 days after the infection.
A flat, red rash may appear over most of the body 2 to 5 days after the fever starts. A second rash, which looks like measles, appears later in the disease. Infected people may have increased skin sensitivity and are very uncomfortable.
Other symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Headache (especially behind the eyes)
- Joint aches (often severe)
- Muscle aches (often severe)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Nasal stuffiness
Exams & Tests
Tests that may be done to diagnose this condition include:
- Antibody titer for the virus types
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for dengue virus types
- Liver function tests
Treatment Of Dengue
There is no specific treatment for this condition. Fluids are given if there are signs of dehydration. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is used to treat a high fever.
Avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve). They may increase bleeding problems.
