Symptoms range of dengue fever from mild to severe. Severe symptoms dengue shock syndrome (DSS) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF). These require urgent medical attention. In 2019, the\u00a0Food and drug administration approved a vaccine for children ages 9\u201316 years who have had dengue in the past and live in areas where dengue is common. These areas include some United States territories.<\/p>\n
For most people, the best way to prevent dengue fever is to take steps to avoid mosquito bites. There is no cure for dengue fever. However, early recognition and treatment can help manage symptoms and\u00a0prevent fatalities<\/a> In 2021, there were\u00a0 117 Cases in the U.S. and 513 cases in all U.S. territories. Some cases were in people who had travelled abroad. However, 509 cases in Puerto Rico were not related to travel. This article looks at the symptoms and causes of dengue fever and who is at risk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n Symptoms of dengue fever will depend on the severity of the disease. Around\u00a075% of people with dengue fever will not experience symptoms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mild symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n If symptoms occur, there may be a sudden\u00a0fever<\/a>\u00a0of around\u00a0104\u00b0F (40\u00b0C) \u00a0Source<\/a>\u00a0with one or more of the following:<\/p>\n The symptoms typically last between\u00a02\u20137 days <\/a>and most people feel better after one week. The fever may spike, go away for\u00a024 hours<\/a>, then spike again.<\/p>\n Severe symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n Between\u00a00.5% and 5% of cases<\/a>\u00a0of dengue fever become severe. If this happens, it can be life threatening.<\/p>\n First, the fever typically falls to 99.5 to 100.4\u00b0F (37.5 to 38\u00b0C). Severe symptoms may then appear\u00a024\u201348 hours<\/a>\u00a0later, or around\u00a03\u20137 days<\/a>\u00a0after the person starts to feel unwell.<\/p>\n They include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Anyone with severe symptoms needs immediate medical attention. Severe signs and symptoms can indicate DSS or DHF. They are potentially fatal.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n Treatment for dengue involves managing the symptoms.<\/p>\n According to\u00a02009 research<\/a>, treatment for milder forms includes:<\/p>\n Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs<\/a>\u00a0such as\u00a0aspirin<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0ibuprofen<\/a>\u00a0are not suitable as they can increase the risk of\u00a0internal bleeding<\/a>.<\/p>\n In some cases, a doctor may\u00a0recommend<\/a>\u00a0hospitalization and:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Without treatment,\u00a010\u201320% of severe cases<\/a>\u00a0may be fatal. Treatment reduces this figure to 1%.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Causes<\/strong><\/p>\n Four viruses<\/a>\u00a0can cause dengue fever. They are all transmitted either by the\u00a0Aedes aegypti<\/em>\u00a0mosquito or, more rarely, the\u00a0Aedes albopictus<\/em>\u00a0mosquito.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These species of mosquitoes live in tropical and subtropical areas around the world, including\u00a0parts of<\/a>\u00a0the U.S. Rates of infection have grown in recent decades, especially in urban areas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A mosquito carrying the virus passes it to a human by biting them. When another mosquito bites a person with the condition, it will pick up the condition. Then the mosquito will pass the virus on to the next person it bites.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A person can have dengue fever\u00a0more than once<\/a>. They will become immune to the specific virus that caused it, though they will not be immune to the other three viruses.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Risk factors and areas of high risk<\/strong><\/p>\n A person is at risk of dengue fever if they live or travel in an area where dengue occurs and mosquitoes that can carry it live.<\/p>\n Dengue occurs in\u00a0over 100 countries<\/a>\u00a0across:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Around 70% of cases occur in Asia.<\/p>\n Among U.S. citizens,\u00a0most cases<\/a>\u00a0occur in:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Americans are most likely to contract the infection while traveling. However, local transmission is possible in many parts of the U.S., as the mosquitoes that transmit it live there.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Diagnosis<\/strong><\/p>\n The signs and symptoms of dengue fever are similar to some other diseases such as\u00a0influenza<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0malaria<\/a>. This can make diagnosis challenging.<\/p>\n A doctor will\u00a0most likely<\/a>:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Prevention<\/strong><\/p>\n In\u00a0May 2019Trusted Source<\/a>, the FDA approved the first dengue vaccine. It can prevent dengue caused by all four viruses.<\/p>\n It is for people who:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n People who are not eligible for the vaccine can lower their risk by taking steps to avoid\u00a0mosquito bites<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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