Dengue

Symptoms

Symptoms of dengue

Symptoms of dengue usually develop suddenly 4 to 10 days after becoming infected.

Symptoms can include:

a high temperature (fever), which can reach 40C (104F) or higher
severe headaches
pain behind the eyes
muscle and joint pain
feeling or being sick
a widespread red rash
loss of appetite

The symptoms normally pass in about a week, although you may feel tired and slightly unwell for several weeks afterwards.

In rare cases severe dengue can develop after the initial symptoms.

When to get medical advice

See your GP or call emergency and urgent care-services if you develop a fever or flu-like symptoms within two weeks of returning from an area where the dengue virus is found.

Remember to tell them whereyou've been travelling.

Go to a local doctor or hospital if you develop symptoms while travelling or living in an area where dengue is common.

There's little a doctor can do to help you recover, but it's important to get a proper diagnosis in case there's another cause of your symptoms.

You may need a blood test to confirm that you have dengue.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 4 Jan 2017

Articles for dengue

Introduction

Dengue is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes. It's widespread in many parts of the world. In most people the infection is mild and passes in about a week without causing any lasting problems. But in rare cases it can be very serious and potentially life threatening.

Symptoms

Symptoms of dengue usually develop suddenly 4 to 10 days after becoming infected like; a high temperature (fever), severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, etc. The symptoms normally pass in about a week, although you may feel tired and slightly unwell for several weeks afterwards.

Severe Dengue

In rare cases dengue can be very serious and potentially life threatening. This is known as severe dengue or dengue haemorrhagic fever. People who've had dengue before are thought to be most at risk of severe dengue if they become infected again.

Prevention

There's currently no widely available vaccine for dengue. You can prevent it by avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes, use insect repellent, wear loose but protective clothing, etc.

Treatment

There's no cure or specific treatment for dengue. Treatment involves relieving your symptoms while the infection runs its course. You can usually look after yourself at home. Take paracetamolÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â to relieve pain and fever, drink plenty of fluids, etc.

Patient story: "I wouldn't want to repeat the experience of having dengue."

The story of Hugh Wilson, who came down with dengue while on holiday in Thailand. Hugh and his partner were staying in Krabi insouthern Thailand when Hugh started to experience symptoms.

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