Dengue Fever

DEFINITION

Dengue (DENG-gey) fever is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Mild dengue fever causes high fever, rash, and muscle and joint pain. A severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause severe bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.


SYMPTOMS

• Fever, as high as 106 F (41 C)
• Headaches
• Muscle, bone and joint pain
• Pain behind your eyes

You might also experience:

• Widespread rash
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rarely, minor bleeding from your gums or nose
• Bleeding from your nose and mouth
• Severe abdominal pain
• Persistent vomiting
• Bleeding under the skin, which might look like bruising
• Problems with your lungs, liver and heart

COMPLICATION

dengue fever can damage the lungs, liver or heart. Blood pressure can drop to dangerous levels, causing shock and, in some cases, death.

TEST AND DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosing dengue fever can be difficult, because its signs and symptoms can be easily confused with those of other diseases — such as malaria, leptospirosis and typhoid fever.

Certain laboratory tests can detect evidence of the dengue viruses, but test results usually come back too late to help direct treatment decisions.