Medical Encyclopedia: Dengue fever (Print Version)

MedlinePlus Health Information: A service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

Medical Encyclopedia: Dengue fever

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001374.htm

Alternative names

O'nyong-nyong fever; Dengue-like disease; Breakbone fever

Definition

Dengue fever is a virus-based disease spread by mosquitoes.

See also: Dengue hemorrhagic fever

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Dengue fever is caused by several related viruses (four different arboviruses). It is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which found in tropic and subtropic regions. This includes parts of:

Southeast Asia
Indonesian archipelago into northeastern Australia
Sub-Saharan Africa
South and Central America

Dengue fever is being seen more in world travelers. It is generally lasts a week or more. Although uncomfortable, it is not deadly. The proper diagnosis depend on whether you tell your doctor about any visits to areas of the world where dengue fever is known to occur.

Dengue fever should not be confused with Dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is a separate disease and frequently deadly.

Symptoms

Dengue fever begins with a sudden high fever, often to 104-105 degrees Fahrenheit.

A flat, red rash may appear over most of the body early during the fever. A second rash, measles-like in appearance, appears later in the disease. Infected people may have increased skin sensitivity and are very uncomfortable.

Other symptoms include:

Headache
Joint aches
Muscle aches
Nausea
Swollen lymph nodes
Vomiting

Signs and tests

Tests that may be done to diagnose this condition include:

Complete blood count
Serology studies to look for antibodies to dengue viruses
Antibody titer for dengue virus types

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Fluids are necessary if there are signs of dehydration. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is used to treat a high fever. Aspirin should be avoided.

Expectations (prognosis)

Full recovery is expected.

Complications

Febrile convulsions
Severe dehydration

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have travelled in an area where dengue fever is known to occur and have developed symptoms of the disease.

Prevention

Clothing, mosquito repellent, and netting can help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Traveling during periods of minimal mosquito activity can also be helpful.

Mosquito abatement programs may reduce the risk of infection.

Update Date: 6/20/2007

Updated by: Monica Gandhi MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases,UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Adam makes no representation or warranty regarding the accuracy, reliability, completeness, currentness, or timeliness of the content, text or graphics. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2008, A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.