One cause for concern about the Ae. albopictus species of mosquito, however, is that it has shown the ability in the laboratory to pass dengue on to its offspring, the doctor said. Symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, joint and muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and rash. Younger children tend to have a milder illness than older children and adults. Symptoms may last as many as 10 days, but complete recovery can take two to four weeks. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for dengue fever.
Treatment consists of rest, fluids and fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen.
Aspirin should not be used. Health officials recommend taking precautions such as covering or discarding objects that collect water and provide a place for mosquitos to breed. People also should check and repair any broken screen doors and use air conditioning indoors when appropriate. Pang said the control of mosquitoes is a necessary health care measure that's going to become a part of life in the future. It's fortunate the disease brought by these mosquitoes was dengue and not other, more often fatal diseases such as yellow fever or malaria, he said.