Dengue fever is an acute febrile illness, associated with myalgias, arthralgias, headache, and skin rash. It is caused by one of four serotypes of the dengue virus. All four of the dengue virus serotypes are circulating in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Dengue fever is commonly spread by urban mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, and one of the most common vectors, Aedes aegypti, lives in close proximity to man. While the disease is often mild and self-limiting, it may present in a severe form associated with hemorrhagic complications, shock, and, in some cases, death.
Prevention is key, because there is no specific therapy for dengue fever.
International travellers to areas endemic for dengue fever should use personal measures to avoid the day-biting Aedes mosquitoes. These precautions should be added to their efforts to avoid the night-biting Anopheles mosquito responsible for malaria. All travellers to areas endemic for dengue fever are advised to use personal insect protective measures to reduce the risk of day-biting mosquitoes. In addition, the use of insect repellent on exposed skin is recommended. The concentration of DEET varies from product to product, and the higher concentrations protect for longer periods of time.