- Dengue Fever is over 200-years-old. The fever was originally diagnosed in Asia, Africa and North America in the late eighteenth century. Between 1779 and1780, there were outbreaks across these three continents and it was speculated that mosquitoes were the transporters of the virus. Slowly, due to air travel, exporting and importing, along with migration of people and livestock, Dengue Fever had spread to many continents, especially coastal, tropical areas of the world.
- Dengue fever is most common in tropical urban areas and there have been outbreaks in Africa, Asia yet seldom the Middle East and Europe. Most recently, Dengue Fever has been reported in Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, and Puerto Rico.
- Dengue fever can cause sudden fever (104 F temperature), headaches, nausea and rash. In more severe cases, shock and hemorrhage have been reported. Although the fever can be extreme, only about 5 percent of those who are diagnosed with the virus actually die from it.
- There is no vaccination for Dengue Fever. However, Dengue Fever is mostly considered an endemic--meaning, Dengue Fever has a predictable scale and range of outbreak in specific areas around the world. Only six cases were reported in south Texas from 1980 to 2004 and these were associated with endemics in northern Mexico and Hawaii.
- It is important to identify the disease and to be honest with your doctor about your travel history and if you were in contact with livestock, discarded items or trash, or were in tropical areas where mosquitoes were present (specifically Aedes mosquitoes).
- According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, certain tests may be done to diagnose a person with Dengue Fever. These tests include completing a blood count and completing a study to look for antibodies to the virus.
