What Is Dengue Fever?
Dengue (DEN-gee) fever is a disease caused by a virus carried by mosquitoes. A person can get dengue fever through a mosquito bite, but it does not spread from person to person..
Dengue fever can cause fever, headaches, rashes, and pain throughout the body. Although dengue fever can be very painful, it's not usually fatal. Most people who get it start feeling better after several days and recover fully in a couple of weeks.
Wearing insect repellent, covering sleep areas with netting, and avoiding the outdoors at dusk and dawn (when mosquitoes are most active) can help lower the chances of infection.
What Causes Dengue Fever?
When a mosquito bites a person who has dengue fever, the mosquito becomes infected with dengue. The mosquito can then spread dengue fever to other people by biting them.
Dengue fever is not contagious, so it can't spread directly from person to person. Since different viruses can cause dengue fever, someone can get the disease more than once.
What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Dengue Fever?
Dengue fever used to be called "breakbone fever," which might give you an idea of the severe bone and muscle pain it sometimes can cause. The fever isn't actually breaking any bones, but it can sometimes feel like it is.
A person with dengue fever may notice:
- high fever
- pain behind the eyes
- pain in the joints, muscles, and/or bones
- severe headache
- rash over most of the body
- bleeding from the nose or gums
- bruising easily
Some people can get a more serious form of the infection called dengue hemorrhagic fever. They'll have the regular symptoms of dengue fever for 2 to 7 days. After the fever goes down, they may notice these additional symptoms:
- nausea and vomiting
- severe abdominal pain
- difficulty breathing
- severe bleeding
If dengue hemorrhagic fever is not treated right away, a person can have heavy bleeding and a drop in blood pressure, and could even die. People with dengue hemorrhagic fever need to be treated in a medical facility immediately.
How Long Does Dengue Fever Last?
Symptoms of dengue fever usually appear 4 to 14 days after someone has been infected. Some people infected with the virus won't have any symptoms. Others will have symptoms for 2 to 7 days before getting better.
How Is Dengue Fever Diagnosed?
If you think your child might have dengue fever, call a doctor right away.
To make a diagnosis, the doctor will examine your child and evaluate the symptoms. The doctor will ask about your child's medical history, and send a blood sample for testing.
How Is Dengue Fever Treated?
No specific treatment is available for dengue fever. Mild cases are managed with lots of fluids to prevent dehydration and getting plenty of rest. Pain relievers with acetaminophen can ease the headaches and pain from dengue fever. Pain relievers with aspirin or ibuprofen should be avoided, as they can make bleeding more likely.
Most cases of dengue fever go away within a week or two and won't cause any lasting problems. If someone has severe symptoms of the disease, or if symptoms get worse in the first day or two after the fever goes away, get medical care right away. This could be an indication of DHF, which is a medical emergency.
To treat severe cases of dengue fever at a hospital, doctors will give intravenous (IV) fluids and electrolytes (salts) to replace those lost through vomiting or diarrhea. When started early, this is usually enough to effectively treat the disease. In more advanced cases, doctors may have to do a blood transfusion.
In all cases of dengue infection, efforts should be made to keep the infected person from being bitten by mosquitoes. This will help prevent the illness from spreading to others.
Can Dengue Fever Be Prevented?
A dengue vaccine is recommended for kids and teens 9–16 years old. Visit the CDC's site for more information.
But the vaccine is not enough on its own. Preventing mosquito bites is still very important protection. Be sure to:
- Use screens on doors and windows, and promptly repair broken or damaged screens. Keep unscreened doors and windows shut.
- Have kids wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, and socks when they go outside, and use mosquito netting over their beds at night.
- Use insect repellent as directed on kids. Choose one with DEET or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
- Limit the amount of time kids spend outside during the day, especially in the hours around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Don't give mosquitoes places to breed. They lay their eggs in water, so get rid of standing water in things like containers and discarded tires, and be sure to change the water in birdbaths, dog bowls, and flower vases at least once a week.