Dengue fever is caused by one of four viruses that are transmitted by infected Aedes mosquitoes. The transmission of the disease occurs when a mosquito bites an infected person and subsequently bites an uninfected person. The bite actually transmits the small amount of blood necessary to infect someone with dengue fever. Diagnosis is made through blood tests that scan for antibodies to dengue viruses.

Infection usually becomes symptomatic 5-6 days after the infecting bite. The first symptoms are a high fever, generally 104-105 degrees F (40 degrees C), vomiting, nausea and a headache. Joint and muscular pain follow within the next days, and a flat, red rash may appear and spread from the torso to the limbs and face. The severe pains gave Dengue its nickname: break-bone fever.

Most symptoms of the disease subside within seven days of their onset, and patients are expected to make a full recovery. In a small number of cases, dengue hemorrhagic fever may develop, which has a much higher fatality rate in children and individuals with suppressed immune systems.

Like most viral illnesses, there is no effective cure for the disease. There are four strains of the virus and an infected person can re-experience symptoms if exposed to another strain of the virus.

Answered by ashutosh_keshari , an ibibo Advisor, at 10:06 PM on October 29, 2009