Dengue Fever: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Dengue fever is a viral disease caused by dengue viruses and transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes, which often bite during the day. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, represents a growing global threat, and matters for travelers to and arrivals from those areas.

Dengue symptoms usually begin suddenly several days after the bite and include high fever with severe headache especially behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain (so it was historically called breakbone fever), with nausea and a rash. Most cases are mild to moderate and improve within a week with supportive care.

However, a proportion of cases may progress — especially as the fever falls after several days — to what is known as severe dengue, a dangerous condition that may cause bleeding, fluid leakage, and circulatory collapse that threatens life. Monitoring warning signs at this stage is therefore extremely important. There is no direct antiviral treatment; care is supportive with hydration and rest, while avoiding certain pain relievers that increase bleeding risk. Prevention remains fundamental through mosquito control, eliminating breeding sites, and avoiding bites.

• Sudden high fever.
• Severe headache and pain behind the eyes.
• Severe joint and muscle pain.
• Nausea, a rash, and fatigue.

• Infection with one of the dengue viruses.
• Transmission through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.
• Mosquito breeding in stagnant water.

• Blood tests to detect the virus or its antibodies.
• Monitoring the platelet and blood count to watch for severity signs.

Supportive care

• Fluid hydration, rest, and fever reducers (paracetamol).
• Avoiding aspirin and anti-inflammatories that increase bleeding risk.

Severe cases

• Monitoring and hospital treatment when warning signs appear.

This content is educational and does not replace medical advice.

• Severe dengue with bleeding and fluid leakage.
• Circulatory collapse (shock).
• A severe drop in platelets.

• Eliminating stagnant-water collection sites where mosquitoes breed.
• Using repellent, protective clothing, and nets.
• Daytime protection since the vector mosquito bites during the day.