Dengue Fever

            Dengue fever is caused by the Dengue virus, a type of Flavivirus (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control). There are four strains of the Dengue virus, and infection with one strain only grants immunity to that specific strain (Cleveland Clinic). This means a person can contract Dengue fever up to four times.

Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Cleveland Clinic). Approximately 54% of Dengue virus infections are asymptomatic (De Santis, 2023). When symptoms do occur, they typically include high fever, headaches, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, and a rash (World Mosquito Program).

Between 0.5% and 5% of symptomatic cases develop into the potentially life-threatening condition known as Dengue hemorrhagic fever (Schaefer, 2024). This severe form of the disease causes internal bleeding, with symptoms such as severe stomach pain, bleeding from the gums and nose, spontaneous bruising, blood in vomit, urine, or stool, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty breathing (Mayo Clinic). If left untreated, Dengue hemorrhagic fever has a 20% fatality rate (Schaefer, 2024); with supportive care, the mortality rate drops to 1% (Medagama, 2020).

Dengue fever was introduced to the Americas from Africa through the transatlantic slave trade (Dick, 2012). Today, deforestation contributes to its spread by creating more suitable habitats for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

There is a vaccine called Dengvaxia, which is approximately 80% effective (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2025).

References:

Fact sheet for health professionals about Dengue European Centre for Disease Prevent and Control

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/dengue-fever/facts

Dengue Fever Cleveland Clinic

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17753-dengue-fever 

De Santis, Olga. Bouscaren, Nicholas. Flahault, Antoine. (September 16, 2023) Asymptomatic dengue infection rate: A systematic literature review PubMed

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10559824/

Dengue World Mosquito Program

https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org/en/learn/mosquito-borne-diseases/dengue?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=21992540561_&utm_content=&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAooVqXOlGJLf2zRIc6vsnWmssqSCo&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiLLABhCEARIsAJYS6unk82kAL4UUOiU4Zn45i-7swYvdSicVQqyLyiKX_r5aEt_isE3fHlsaAmTYEALw_wcB

Schaefer, Timothy J. Panda, Prasan K. Wolford, Robert W, (March 6, 2024) Dengue fever National Library of Medicine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430732/

Dengue fever Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dengue-fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20353078

Medagama, Arjuna. Dalugama, Chamara. Meiyalakan, Gukes. Lakmali, Darshani. (April 30, 2020) Risk Factors Associated with Fatal Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever in Adults: A Case Control Study PubMed

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7222550/

Dick, Olivia Brathwaite. San Martin, Jose L. Montoya, Romeo H. del Diego. Zambrano, Betzana. Dayan, Gustavo H. (October 3, 2012) The History of Dengue Outbreaks in the Americas PubMed

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3516305/#:~:text=The%20historical%20record%20suggests%20this%20outbreak%20was,first%20called%20Dunga%2C%20later%20changed%20to%20dengue.

Lloyd, Christopher. (2009) The Story of the World in 100 Species Bloomsbury

(January 30, 2025) About a Dengue Vaccine Center for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/vaccine/index.html