Dengue fever is an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes (both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopiticus). It is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death.
Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children in Asia. There is good evidence that sequential infection with the different serotypes of dengue virus increases the risk of more severe disease that can result in shock syndrome and death.
There is no specific treatment for dengue, but appropriate medical care frequently saves the lives of patients with dengue haemorrhagic fever.
Infected humans are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus, serving a source of the virus for uninfected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which maintain the urban dengue transmission cycle. The virus circulates in the blood of infected human for 2 to 7 days, at approximately the same time that they have a fever.
At present, the only method of controlling or preventing dengue virus transmission is to combat the vector mosquitoes using environmental management and chemical methods.