Dengue fever is not transmitted through contact with an infected person, nor is it spread by the so-called tiger mosquito. Dengue fever is present in most cities in tropical countries in the world including the islands in the Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The symptoms of dengue fever usually begin with the a sudden high fever which can last for 5 to 7 days. Dengue haemorrhagic fever can be fatal. Its symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting, intense abdominal pain, and bleeding, which may be from the nose or under the skin.
Prevention is key, since there is no specific treatment for dengue fever.
If you are travelling to an area where dengue fever occurs, you should use personal protection measures to avoid the day-biting Aedes mosquitoes. These measures are in addition to those taken to avoid the night-biting Anopheles mosquito which is responsible for spreading malaria . The female Aedes mosquito bites while feeding, mainly during the day. Any measure that reduces exposure to these mosquitoes during feeding will also reduce the risk of dengue fever. The use of insect repellent while outdoors is recommended for travellers to dengue areas.