Dengue fever is an infectious disease that can be caused by a four Serotypes of Flavivirus, a genus of virus transmitted via mosquito bites.CDC: Dengue Fever Fact Sheet Mosquitoes become infected when they bite a person with the virus, then spread the disease when they bite a new victim. Because the illness can be caused by any four serotypes of the virus, it is possible to fall ill with dengue fever multiple times. An attack of dengue fever containing one of the four serotypes will produce lifetime immunity for the type involved, but previous exposure to any of the serotypes greatly increases the likelihood of serious complications with the next infection.WHO: Dengue/dengue haemorrhagic fever

Dengue fever is most common in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Outbreaks of dengue fever usually occur in the rainy season.CDC: Dengue Fever Fact Sheet It is rare for someone to get dengue fever in the United States, but the risk is increasing for persons living in the south states, especially along the Texas-Mexico border.

In 1779-1780, descriptions of dengue fever began to emerge out of Asia, Africa and North America. Following World War II, a pandemic of dengue fever began in southeast Asia, and has spread around the world since.CDC: Dengue Fever Fact Sheet

• Insect repellent with 20%-50% of DEET
• Protect body with clothing
• Keep screen doors and windows closed
• Stay in air-conditioned rooms whenever possible
• Sleep inside a Permethrin-impregnated mosquito net (120-200 holes per square per inch) tucked firmly in and checked for holes

• Flu-like
• Sudden onset of fever with severe chills
• Severe headache
• Joint and muscle pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Rash
• Swelling of hands and feet

• Keep hydrated
• Acetaminophen for fever and pain
• Avoid aspirin and anticoagulants

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you have Dengue Fever, please consult your doctor. Patients experiencing flu-like symptoms in a Dengue zone should seek immediate diagnosis.

• Google News: Dengue Fever Search
• Channel NewsAsia: Dengue Watch
• The New York Times: Dengue Outbreak Sweeps Through Rio (April 15, 2008)
• ScienceDaily: Common Weed, Ayurvedic Nightshade, Deadly For Dengue Mosquito (April 3, 2008)
• ABC News: Rio Struggles to Contain Epidemic (March 28, 2008)
• HealthDay: Biologists Discover How Dengue Virus Matures (March 27, 2008)
  • Virus particles are exposed to progressively less acidic conditions as they move along this "secretory pathway." The changing acidity plays a critical role in the maturation of the Dengue virus.
  • "This is possibly the most detailed understanding of how any virus matures," research co-author Michael Rossmann, a professor of biological sciences, said in a prepared statement.
• ScienceDaily: Lower Transmission Increases Dengue Deaths (February 9, 2008)
• ScienceDaily: Dengue Fever Is A Potential Threat To US Public Health, Experts Say (January 9, 2008)
• Planet Ark: Cambodia Dengue Toll Rises Above 300 (August 16, 2007)
• The Sydney Morning Herald: Vietnam raises dengue alert, 27 dead (July 7, 2007)
• BBC News: Dengue sparks Paraguay emergency (March 2, 2007)