Dengue FeverSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is a virus-caused disease that is spread by mosquitoes. Dengue in its mild form causes fever and a rash and lasts about a week. Severe dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, and death. About 1 out of 20 people with dengue will develop severe dengue within a few hours after symptoms start. The main risk factor for severe dengue is a prior infection with dengue.
O'nyong-nyong fever; Dengue-like disease; Breakbone fever; Dengue hemorrhagic fever
Dengue fever is caused by 1 of 4 different but related viruses. It is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which is found in tropic and subtropic regions. This area includes parts of:
- The Indonesian archipelago into northeastern Australia
- South and Central America
- Southeast Asia
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- The Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands)
Dengue fever is rare in the US mainland, but has been found in Hawaii, Florida, and Texas. Since 2022, dengue has also been reported in California and Arizona.
Many cases in the United States occur when someone travels to an area where dengue is present and returns home with the illness. Dengue cannot spread from human to human.
Dengue fever begins with a sudden high fever, often as high as 105°F (40.6°C), 4 to 7 days after the infection.
A flat, red rash may appear over most of the body 2 to 5 days after the fever starts. A second rash, which looks like measles, appears later in the disease. Infected people may have increased skin sensitivity and are very uncomfortable.
Other symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Headache (especially behind the eyes)
- Joint aches (often severe)
- Muscle aches (often severe)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Nasal stuffiness
Symptoms of severe dengue can occur 24 to 48 hours after the fever has gone away. Severe symptoms include:
- Severe stomach pain and tenderness
- Vomiting often (at least 3 times in 24 hours)
- Bleeding from the nose or gums
- Vomiting blood or passing blood in the stools or urine
- Bleeding under the skin (looks like bruises)
- Difficulty breathing, rapid breathing
- Feeling tired, restless, or irritable
If you or anyone you know has symptoms of severe dengue, call 911 or the local emergency number right away.
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Fluids are given if there are signs of dehydration. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is used to treat a high fever.
Avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve). They may increase bleeding problems.
Severe dengue is a medical emergency. It must be treated immediately at a hospital. Treatment for severe dengue is supportive and may include:
- Fluids given through a vein (IV)
- Oxygen support
- Blood pressure management
- Blood transfusions
Emory University Hospital Midtown Campus
Jesse Waggoner is an Infectious Disease provider practicing medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been practicing medicine for over 20 years. Dr. Waggoner is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dengue Fever. He is also highly rated in 10 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Dengue Fever, Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, Zika Virus Disease, and Togaviridae Disease. Dr. Waggoner is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, 2012.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Dr. Anna Durbin is an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her area of clinical expertise is infectious disease. Dr. Durbin earned her M.D. from Wayne State University School of Medicine. She completed her residency and performed a fellowship in infectious diseases at Detroit Medical Center. She has expertise in the evaluation of live attenuated flavivirus vaccines, primary dengue and West Nile virus vaccines, and the early evaluation of malaria vaccines. She has served on national and international advisory boards and committees related to dengue and malaria vaccine safety. An important research interest of hers is studying the immunopathogenesis of dengue infection and disease. In addition to her clinical studies, her laboratory is also developing an animal model of dengue using rhesus macaques. Dr. Durbin is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dengue Fever. She is also highly rated in 11 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Dengue Fever, Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, Arbovirosis, and Yellow Fever. Dr. Durbin is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine.
Mdvip
Stephen Thomas is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Dr. Thomas is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dengue Fever. He is also highly rated in 7 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Dengue Fever, Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Zika Virus Disease, and Tenotomy. Dr. Thomas is board certified in American Board Of Family Medicine. Dr. Thomas is currently accepting new patients.
Mild cases of dengue generally last a week or more. Although uncomfortable, mild dengue fever is not deadly. People with the condition should fully recover. In some Latin American and Asian countries, severe dengue is a leading cause of death and severe illness. Early detection and treatment of severe dengue can greatly reduce the risk of death.
Untreated, dengue fever may cause the following health problems:
- Febrile convulsions
- Severe dehydration
- Death
Contact your health care provider if you have traveled in an area where dengue fever is known to occur and you have symptoms of the disease.
To prevent dengue, take steps to prevent mosquito bites:
- Use insect repellent daily and reapply as needed.
- Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
- Spray clothing and hats with permethrin (an insecticide that repels mosquitos), but do not apply to skin.
- Sleep under mosquito netting if sleeping outside or if there are no screens on windows.
- Limit outdoor activity during mosquito season, especially when they are most active, at dawn and dusk.
When traveling, check to see if dengue is present in the area you will be traveling. Bring protective clothing, mosquito repellent, and netting if needed.
Summary: The main aim of this study is to collect more information on the effectiveness of TDV when used in a pilot public vaccination program for children and adolescents participating in a community-based cohort in Southeast Asian countries with high dengue transmission, specifically Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia where TDV is already approved for use. The study will include cohort participants (indiv...
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether the live attenuated tetravalent Butantan-Dengue vaccine (Butantan-DV) is safe and capable of inducing an immune response in patients aged 12 to 59 years with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) who are clinically stable and under low-grade or no immunosuppression, as well as in healthy volunteers matched by sex and age. The main questions it ...
Published Date: November 10, 2024
Published By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Roy and Diana Vagelos Professor in Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Dengue. About dengue. www.cdc.gov/dengue/about/index.html. Updated May 14, 2024. Accessed December 2, 2024.
Endy TP. Viral febrile illnesses and emerging pathogens. In: Ryan ET, Hill DR, Solomon T, Aronson NE, Endy TP, eds. Hunter's Tropical Medicine and Emerging Infectious Diseases. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 36.
Thomas SJ, Endy TP, Rothman AL, Barrett AD. Flaviviruses (dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile encephalitis, Usutu encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, Kyasanur forest disease, Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever, Zika). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 153.
World Health Organization website. Dengue and severe dengue. www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Updated April 23, 2024. Accessed December 2, 2024.