Dengue Fever

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The Dengue Virus, although virtually unknown in the United States, is prevalent in Latin America and Asia. It is also known as the breakbone fever. Transmitted by mosquitoes, the Dengue Virus causes rashes, headaches, and muscle pain. The hemorrhagic form of the virus may often cause death in the patient.

WHAT IS DENGUE FEVER?

(& Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever)

Dengue is a disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. The potentially fatal disease is caused by a group of four viruses that are mosquito born.

WHAT ARE THE FOUR DENGUE VIRUSES?

Dengue and Dengue Fever are caused by one of four virus serotypes: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4. The four virus are closely related, however they are anitgenically distinct. Unfortunately, a person can have several dengue infections in their lifetime because a person does not become immune to the other three viruses if infected.

HOW IS DENGUE FEVER SPREAD?

Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquitoes who have been infected with the dengue virus. In the Western Hemisphere, the Aedes aegypti is the one mosquito species that transmits the disease. When a mosquito bites a person who has Dengue or Dengue Fever, the insect becomes infected and acts as a carrier of the virus. The disease spreads when mosquito-carriers bite healthy individuals who are now hosts for the virus. The Dengue virus is only spread by mosquitoes; it is not spread directly from person to person. The Aedes aegypti is a day-biting mosquito that prefers to feed on humans.

WHO GETS DENGUE FEVER?

Everyone is susceptible to the disease if exposed to infected mosquitoes. Dengue fever is a current epidemic in more than 100 subtropical countries where the mosquito population is high. These tropical regions inclu...

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