What is Dengue Fever?

Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne infection that causes a severe flu-like illness. There are four different viruses that can cause dengue fever, all of which spread by a certain type of mosquito.

Dengue fever can vary from mild to severe; the more severe forms include dengue shock syndrome and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Patients who develop the more serious forms of dengue fever usually need to be hospitalized.

There are currently no vaccines for dengue fever. The best way to prevent the disease is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes altogether. Although there is no certain treatment for dengue, it can be treated as long as it is caught before developing into dengue shock syndrome or dengue hemorrhagic fever.

(source : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com)

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

(source : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/)

Fast Facts on Dengue Fever

Here are some key points about dengue fever. 

• Dengue fever (DF) is caused by any of four closely related viruses, or serotypes: dengue 1-4.
• Dengue is transmitted between people by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which are found throughout the world.
• Around 2.5 billion people, or 40% of the world's population, live in areas where there is a risk of dengue transmission.
• Dengue is endemic in at least 100 countries in Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and the Caribbean.
• WHO estimates that 50-100 million infections occur yearly, including 500,000 dengue hemorraghic fever (DHF) cases and 22,000 deaths, mostly among children.
• Most dengue cases in US citizens occur in those inhabitants of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Samoa and Guam, which are endemic for the virus.
• Symptoms of infection usually begin 4-7 days after the mosquito bite and typically last 3-10 days.
• There is no vaccine available against dengue, and there are no specific medications to treat a dengue infection.
• Prevention the most important step, and prevention means avoiding mosquito bites.
• If a clinical diagnosis is made early, a health care provider can effectively treat DHF using fluid replacement therapy.

source : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

Life cycle of Aedes Mosquito

(source : http://alrazaak.com/threads/140-What-is-Dengue-Fever-Signs-Symptoms-Stages-Treatment#.ViUY434rLIU)