Mosquitos and Dengue Fever Member of the Internet Link Exchange Mosquitoes and Dengue Note that some information appearing in this document may not be current as of 1996. Dengue fever, although little known in the United States, is a serious disease of Asia and Africa. Classic dengue, known for its low mortality but very uncomfortable symptoms, has become more serious, both in frequency and mortality, in recent years. Dengue is caused by an RNA flavivirus exhibiting many serotypes.
Symptoms vary according to the serotype.
The main vector of dengue, Aedes aegypti , flourishing in mankind's urban to suburban environments, has spread the disease to many parts of the world. Another mosquito, Aedes albopictus , a less important urban vector, has helped maintain the prevalence of dengue in Asian regions. A. aegypti is the most important vector of dengue. The spread of dengue throughout the world can be directly attributed to the proliferation and adaptation of this mosquito. Only the eggs survived when the rain stopped and the puddles evaporated.