Dengue fever is a virus-based disease spread by mosquitoes.
Dengue fever is caused by one of four different but related viruses. It is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly the mosquito Aedesaegypti, which is found in tropic and subtropic regions. This includes parts of: * Indonesian archipelago into northeastern Australia * South and Central America * Southeast Asia * Sub-Saharan Africa
Dengue fever is being seen more in world travelers.
Dengue fever should not be confused with Dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is a separate disease that is caused by the same type of virus but has much more severe symptom the same type of virus but has much more severe symptoms.
Dengue fever also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or the life- into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs. Signs and symptoms Dengue fever begins with a sudden high fever, often as high as 104 - 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Infection with the dengue virus may be subclinical (no apparent symptoms) or may cause illness ranging from a mild fever to a severe, even fatal condition, ie.denguehaemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.
The symptoms may last up to a week. Some people may experience a resurgence of fever and other symptoms that may last another 2-3 days.
Typically, people infected with dengue virus are asymptomatic (80%) or only have mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever.[1][2][3] Others have more severe illness (5%), and in a small proportion it is life-threatening.[1][3] The incubation period(time between exposure and onset of symptoms) ranges
References: * Gubler DJ (2010). "Dengue viruses". In Mahy BWJ, Van Regenmortel MHV. Desk Encyclopedia of Human and Medical Virology. Boston: Academic Press. pp. 372–82. ISBN 0-12-375147-0. * WHO (2009). Dengue Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Control. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN 9241547871. * Naides SJ. Arthropod-borne viruses causing fever and rash syndromes. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds.Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 405. Review Date: 8/28/2009. Reviewed by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. THANK YOU!