Dengue fever (
UK: /ˈdɛŋɡeɪ/,
US: /ˈdɛŋɡiː/), also known as
breakbone fever, is an acute
febrile infectious disease caused by the
dengue virus. Typical symptoms include
headache, a characteristic
skin rash, and
muscle and
joint pains; in a small proportion the disease progresses to life-threatening complications such as
dengue hemorrhagic fever (which may lead to severe
hemorrhage) and
dengue shock syndrome (where a
very low blood pressure can cause organ dysfunction).
Dengue is usually transmitted by the
mosquito Aedes aegypti, and rarely
Aedes albopictus. The virus exists in four different types, and an infection with one type usually gives lifelong
immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. There is currently no available
vaccine, but measures to reduce the habitat and the number of mosquitoes, and limiting exposure to bites, are used to decrease the incidence of dengue.
Treatment of acute dengue is supportive, using either oral or intravenous
rehydration for mild or moderate disease, and
intravenous fluids and
blood transfusions for more severe cases. The rate of infection has increased dramatically over the last 50 years, with around 50–100 million people being infected yearly. A global disease, dengue is currently
endemic in more than 110 countries. Early descriptions of the condition date from 1779, and its viral cause and the transmission were elucidated in the early 20th century. Dengue has become a worldwide problem since the
Second World War.
Signs and symptoms
Schematic depiction of the symptoms of dengue fever.
People infected with dengue virus are commonly
asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever.
Others have much more severe illness, and in a small proportion it is life-threatening.
The
incubation period (time between exposure and onset of symptoms) ranges from 3–14 days, but most often it is 4–7 days.
This means that travellers returning from endemic areas are unlikely to have dengue if fever or other symptoms start more than 14 days after arriving home.
Children often experience symptoms similar to those of the
common cold and
gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea),
but are more susceptible to the severe complications.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever
