Do you know if you’re at risk when it comes to dengue?

3 mins
Dengue mosquito bite itch, dengue fever can cause a rash
Dengue fever risk when travelling to dengue mosquito areas
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About half the world’s population is now vulnerable to dengue infection.1 However, the risk of getting ill from dengue, or of an existing dengue infection becoming more severe, depends on many factors.1-3 Let’s consider some of these below.

 

Risk factors for dengue

Pre-existing conditions increase risk of dengue fever

1. Pre-existing conditions

 

If you already have certain ongoing or pre-existing conditions at the time you become infected with dengue, there is a higher chance of it progressing to a more severe infection.2 These conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.2 Find out why pre-existing conditions can increase your ‘dengue risk’ here.

Dengue fever risk higher in young children, dengue symptoms can be more severe in older people

2. Age

 

Old age can increase the risk of severe dengue outcomes.4 On the other hand, young children can be at greater risk of developing severe dengue and complications than healthy adults.5 Learn more about how your age might impact your risk of dengue.

Dengue symptoms can be more severe with re-infection. Dengue fever risk higher if you have already been infected

3. Weight

 

Obesity has been linked to longer hospital stays for patients with dengue.6 Scientists believe that obesity can weaken the immune system’s response to infections such as dengue.6

Reinfection

4. Reinfection

 

There are four different strains of the dengue virus. This means you can be infected more than once (but with a different strain).7 In fact, a second infection with a different strain is more likely to cause severe dengue symptoms than the first infection.7

 

Related content

References

  1. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed December 2023.

  2. Sangkaew S, et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021;21(7):1014-1026.

  3. Wilder-Smith A. 2012;32 Suppl 1(s1):28-32.

  4. Huang N, et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023;29(8):1701-1702.

  5. UNICEF. Available at: Available at: https://www.unicef.org/rosa/stories/dengue-how-keep-children-safe. Accessed November 2023.

  6. Tan VPK, et al. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0200698.

  7. Soo KM, et al. PLoS One. 2016;11(5):e0154760.

  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/transmission/index.html. Accessed December 2023.

  9. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dengue/. Accessed December 2023.

  10. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Available at: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres/centre-climate-change-and-planetary-health/infectious-diseases. Accessed December 2023.

  11. Nakase T, et al. Sci Data. 2023;10(1):275.

  12. Man O, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023;17(6):e0011333.

  13. Overgaard HJ, et al. Parasit Vectors. 2017;10(1):356.

  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/dengue. Accessed December 2023.

  15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/signs-symptoms. Accessed November 2023.

If travelling abroad, consider extra risk factors at your destination

Dengue is spread to people through the bites of infected Aedes species mosquitoes.1,8 Your dengue risk when you travel will depend on various factors.3

 

Dengue fever risk varies worldwide. Certain travel destinations may have a higher prevalence of dengue mosquito

1. Destination

 

Dengue can be widespread in areas with warm and humid climates such as parts of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Central/South America, as these conditions suit mosquitoes.9,10 However, dengue is becoming more common in parts of Europe and North America too.1,11

Dengue mosquito activity occurs in rural and urban surroundings causing dengue fever

2. Your surroundings

 

Though originally considered an urban disease, people can also be infected with dengue in rural areas too.12,13

Dengue mosquito can bite night and day, dengue fever can be caused at any time of day

3. The time of day you are out

 

Dengue carrying mosquitoes mainly bite during the day (but they can also be active at night).14

Dengue fever risk increases with length of time in dengue mosquito areas. More likely to develop dengue symptoms with longer exposure to the dengue mosquito

4. How long you stay at your destination

 

Staying for longer at your destination means a higher chance of being exposed to dengue-carrying mosquitoes.3

Adding up the risks

Most of the time, dengue tends to be a mild disease: 1 in 4 or so, of people who are infected experience symptoms.1,15 However, about 1 in 20 of the people who do experience symptoms can have their infection progress to severe dengue which is a life-threatening medical emergency.5,15 

 

For additional information on dengue risk factors, check out the risk tool here.

 

Remember though, this tool is not a substitute for medical advice – you should consult your doctor if you want a personal risk assessment.

 

 

Related content

References

  1. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed December 2023.

  2. Sangkaew S, et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021;21(7):1014-1026.

  3. Wilder-Smith A. 2012;32 Suppl 1(s1):28-32.

  4. Huang N, et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023;29(8):1701-1702.

  5. UNICEF. Available at: Available at: https://www.unicef.org/rosa/stories/dengue-how-keep-children-safe. Accessed November 2023.

  6. Tan VPK, et al. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0200698.

  7. Soo KM, et al. PLoS One. 2016;11(5):e0154760.

  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/transmission/index.html. Accessed December 2023.

  9. NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dengue/. Accessed December 2023.

  10. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Available at: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres/centre-climate-change-and-planetary-health/infectious-diseases. Accessed December 2023.

  11. Nakase T, et al. Sci Data. 2023;10(1):275.

  12. Man O, et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023;17(6):e0011333.

  13. Overgaard HJ, et al. Parasit Vectors. 2017;10(1):356.

  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/dengue. Accessed December 2023.

  15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/signs-symptoms. Accessed November 2023.

It’s time to talk about dengue

With dengue cases rising and no specific cure available, prevention is key1,2

 

Learn how to help protect yourself from mosquito bites and from dengue.

 

Contact your local health expert to talk about how to help prevent dengue.

Analogue alarm clock with mosquito on the edge
Analogue alarm clock with mosquito on the edge
  1. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed February 2024.
  2. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON498#. Accessed February 2024.

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Aedes aegypti mosquito

Test your knowledge of dengue!

Can bites from male or female dengue-carrying mosquitoes infect humans?

Male bites
Female bites

Correct

 

Male mosquitoes feed on flower nectar and fruit juices and not blood.1 Only female mosquitoes feed on hosts such as humans, whose blood provides the protein they need to help their eggs develop.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue or have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue.

  1. The National Environment Agency. Vector Borne Diseases. Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/research/wolbachia-aedes-mosquito-suppression-strategy/male-mosquitoes-do-not-bite. Accessed January 2024.

Incorrect

 

Diseases such as dengue are not spread to humans by the bites of male Aedes mosquitoes; in fact, they don’t even bite humans.1 Only female mosquitoes feed on hosts such as humans, whose blood provides the protein they need to help their eggs develop.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue or have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue or try again!

  1. The National Environment Agency. Vector Borne Diseases. Available at: https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/research/wolbachia-aedes-mosquito-suppression-strategy/male-mosquitoes-do-not-bite. Accessed January 2024.

Survey Question 7

Test your knowledge of dengue!

By about how much has the number of reported dengue cases increased in the last two decades?

8-fold
4-fold

Correct

 

The number of reported dengue cases has increased over eightfold in the last two decades, from 505,430 cases in 2000 to over 4.2 million in 2019.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue.

 

  1. Zeng Z, et al. EClinicalMedicine. 2021;32:100712.

Incorrect

 

The number of reported dengue cases has increased over eightfold in the last two decades, from 505,430 cases in 2000 to over 4.2 million in 2019.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue or try again!

 

  1. Zeng Z, et al. EClinicalMedicine. 2021;32:100712.

Survey Question 8

Test your knowledge of dengue!

By what other name is dengue sometimes referred to?

Breakbone fever
Brittle bone fever

Correct

 

Dengue is also known as ‘breakbone fever’ due to the severe muscle and joint pain that can occur in some symptomatic patients.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue.

 

  1. 8. Whitehorn J and Farrar J. British Medical Bulletin. 2010; 95:161-173.

 

Dengue has historically been known as ‘breakbone fever’, due to the severe muscle and joint pain that can occur in some symptomatic patients.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you have questions about your risk.

 

Learn more about dengue or try again!

 

  1. Whitehorn J and Farrar J. British Medical Bulletin. 2010; 95:161-173.

Survey Question 9

Test your knowledge of dengue!

Is there a specific cure or treatment available for dengue?

Yes
No

Correct

 

There is no specific treatment for dengue – the focus is on managing the symptoms. Most cases of dengue fever can be treated at home, however, for those who develop severe dengue, hospitalization is often needed.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue.

 

Learn more about dengue.

 

  1. World Health Organization [WHO]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed May 2024.

Incorrect

 

There is no specific treatment for dengue – the focus is on managing the symptoms. Most cases of dengue fever can be treated at home, however, for those who develop severe dengue, hospitalization is often needed.1

 

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you suspect you have symptoms of dengue.

 

Learn more about dengue or try again!

 

  1. World Health Organization [WHO]. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue. Accessed May 2024.

Explore our resources to learn more about the risk of dengue and how you could help protect yourself and your loved ones

 

Resource centre

Father and daughter sitting side by side smiling while looking at mobile phone screen
Father and daughter sitting side by side smiling while looking at mobile phone screen

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Learn how dengue has impacted the lives of some patients and families

 

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Mother and daughter sitting side by side looking concerned
Mother and daughter sitting side by side looking concerned

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