Dengue fever

What is it ?

Dengue fever (also known as “tropical fever,” “breakbone fever” and “Dandy fever”) is an acute infectious disease that causes febrility. It can take one or two weeks to bring under control.

Disease transmission

Certain types of mosquitoes are carriers of the disease. The pathogen is transmitted by their bites. Transmission occurs most often in daylight hours.

Geographic risk zone

Southeast Asia, Western Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Western Mediterranean, etc.

Dengue, countries or areas at risk, 2008

Data source: World Health Organization

Symptoms description

Fever lasting 3 to 7 days on average
Muscle pain
Joint pain
Headache
Skin rash
Intense muscle soreness

Health impact

Dengue fever is not a serious disease in most cases. It generally lasts a short time only. However, it can turn into dengue hemorrhagic fever, a potentially fatal disease.

Risks

Dengue fever can occur in over 100 countries worldwide.
Every year, over 50 million travellers around the world contract this disease.
In Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, 70% of fatal cases are attributable to hemorrhagic dengue fever. Cases have also been reported in Africa and the Western Mediterranean.
According to WHO data, dengue fever is becoming increasingly frequent in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the number of serious cases is increasing as well.
Hemorrhagic dengue, the more virulent form of the infection, causes up to 24,000 deaths a year worldwide.

Prevention

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, and no vaccine or drug to prevent the disease. It is therefore extremely important to use an effective mosquito repellent in high-risk areas.

The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that all travellers consult a travel health specialist before they go abroad. Your specialist will be able to advise you about various resources and options available so that you can protect yourself effectively.