Who is dengue fever

Millions of cases of dengue infection occur worldwide each year. But the disease has been spreading to new areas, including local outbreaks in Europe and southern parts of the United States.

Researchers are working on dengue fever vaccines. For now, in areas where dengue fever is common, the best ways to prevent infection are to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes and to take steps to reduce the mosquito population.

When symptoms do occur, they may be mistaken for other illnesses — such as the flu — and usually begin four to 10 days after you are bitten by an infected mosquito.

Dengue fever causes a high fever — F 40 C — and any of the following signs and symptoms:. Most people recover within a week or so. In some cases, symptoms worsen and can become life-threatening. This is called severe dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

Severe dengue happens when your blood vessels become damaged and leaky. And the number of clot-forming cells platelets in your bloodstream drops. This can lead to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and even death. Warning signs of severe dengue fever — which is a life-threatening emergency — can develop quickly.

The warning signs usually begin the first day or two after your fever goes away, and may include:. Severe dengue fever is a life-threatening medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention if you've recently visited an area in which dengue fever is known to occur, you have had a fever and you develop any of the warning signs. Warning signs include severe stomach pain, vomiting, difficulty breathing, or blood in your nose, gums, vomit or stools.

Error: This is required. Error: Not a valid value. Dengue fever is an illness that is similar to a serious case of the flu. It is caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes. Most people who have dengue fever recover in about a week. Sometimes, the infection is more serious and occasionally it is fatal. You can catch dengue fever if you are bitten by an infected mosquito. Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical countries in Africa, Asia and South America.

Most areas of Australia do not have the type of mosquitoes that carry dengue, although outbreaks of the disease still occur in North Queensland every year when someone becomes infected overseas, then is bitten by a mosquito in Australia and that mosquito spreads the virus to others. These symptoms may be mild or severe.

They usually appear between 3 and 14 days after the mosquito bite, and usually last for between 2 and 7 days. There is no vaccine or any specific medicine to treat dengue. People who have dengue fever should rest, drink plenty of fluids and reduce the fever using paracetamol or they should see a doctor.

Severe dengue also known as dengue haemorrhagic fever is a potentially lethal complication, affecting mainly children. Diagnosing it early and being treated by trained doctors and nurses increases survival. This is a serious illness and it can be fatal.

If you think you may have dengue fever, visit your doctor or hospital emergency department. Your doctor will assess you by talking to you and examining you. They may order blood tests to help diagnose dengue fever. There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. But you can ease the symptoms by resting, drinking plenty of fluids and taking painkillers such as paracetamol.

If you have dengue fever, do not take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs , such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Hanoi Danang. Dengue Fever. What is dengue fever? What's the risk of me catching Dengue Fever in vietnam? What preventative measures should I be taking?

How long after exposure does the virus begin to show symptoms? What are the symptoms of dengue? Doctor Christopher M. Medical Centers Emergency. We use cookies on this website to enhance your user experience. Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne infection that can lead to a severe flu-like illness. It is caused by four different viruses and spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Symptoms range from mild to severe. These usually require hospitalization. There are currently no vaccines.

The best method of prevention is to avoid mosquito bites. Dengue fever is rare in the United States U. Outbreaks have occurred in Texas, Florida, and Hawaii. Symptoms usually disappear after a week, and mild dengue rarely involves serious or fatal complications.

At first, symptoms of DHF may be mild, but they gradually worsen within a few days. As well as mild dengue symptoms, there may be signs of internal bleeding.

Dengue is a virus, so there is no specific treatment or cure. However, intervention can help, depending on how severe the disease is. Preventing dehydration : A high fever and vomiting can dehydrate the body. The person should drink clean water, ideally bottled rather than tap water. Rehydration salts can also help replace fluids and minerals.

Painkillers, such as Tylenol or paracetamol : These can help lower fever and ease pain.