Dengue fever

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Dengue Fever

Dengue fever (/ˈdɛŋɡiː/ DEN-ghee), also known as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus.

Etymology

The term "dengue" is derived from the Swahili phrase "Ka-dinga pepo", which describes the disease as being caused by an evil spirit. The Swahili word "dinga" is thought to have its origin in the Spanish word "dengue", meaning fastidious or careful, which would describe the gait of a person suffering the bone pain of dengue fever.

Symptoms

Symptoms of dengue fever include high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash. In a small proportion of cases, the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

Transmission

Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally Aedes aegypti. The virus has five different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others.

Prevention and Treatment

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. For severe dengue symptoms, medical care by physicians and nurses experienced with the effects and progression of the disease can save lives. Maintaining the patient's body fluid volume is critical to severe dengue care. A vaccine for dengue fever has been approved and is commercially available in a number of countries.

See Also

External links

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