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Dengue (DENG-gey) fever is a mosquito-borne illness that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Mild dengue fever causes a high fever and flu-like symptoms. The severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause serious bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
Diagnosing dengue fever can be difficult because its signs and symptoms can be easily confused with those of other diseases — such as chikungunya, Zika virus, malaria and typhoid fever. Your doctor will likely ask about your medical and travel history.
Dengue fever is a potentially life-threatening viral infection transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The CDC issued a health alert, saying a higher-than-expected number of dengue fever cases have been reported in the U.S. Puerto Rico declared a health emergency with 1,498 cases reported.
Dengue. Ebola. Hantavirus. Lassa. Marburg. Yellow fever. These diseases most often happen in tropical areas, such as Central Africa. In the United States, most people who get them have traveled to one of those areas. There are vaccines and treatments for only a few types of viral hemorrhagic fevers.
The inflammation from meningitis most often triggers symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck. Viral infections are the most common cause of meningitis in the United States. Bacteria, parasites and fungi also can cause it. Sometimes meningitis improves in a few weeks without treatment.
Dengue tetravalent vaccine, live is used to prevent dengue disease in children 9 to 16 years of age with a previous laboratory-confirmed dengue infection and who are living in endemic (where the disease is common) areas.
Mosquitoes can carry the viruses that cause certain diseases, such as West Nile virus and the viruses that cause malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever. The mosquito gets a virus or parasite by biting an infected person or animal.
Most people infected with the West Nile virus do not experience any symptoms though some may develop a fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting and rash. While most people fully recover, some may experience ongoing weakness and fatigue for months.
Talk to your doctor if you experience a fever while living in or after traveling to a high-risk malaria region. If you have severe symptoms, seek emergency medical attention.
Understanding epidemiological terms such as pandemic, endemic, and outbreak can be confusing, especially as more news emerges about Zika virus and dengue fever. Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist Dr. Pritish Tosh offers some insight.