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Dengue, also known as dengue fever, is an infection spread by mosquitoes. It's not usually serious and often gets better on its own. Some people get a more severe type of dengue, but this is rare.
You can get dengue if you're bitten by an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus bite during the day.
Dengue is very common in certain parts of the world.
It's often found in tropical areas including:
There's also a risk of getting dengue at certain times of the year (spring to November) in parts of southern Europe.
European countries where dengue has been found include:
Dengue is not found in the UK and you cannot catch it from another person.
You can check the risks for a country you're travelling to on the TravelHealthPro website
Dengue does not always cause symptoms.
If you do have symptoms, they usually start 4 to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Some dengue symptoms are similar to flu.
They include:
Check your symptoms on 111 online or call 111. Tell anyone you speak to about your recent travel.
Get medical advice quickly if you have dengue symptoms while you're travelling.
Some people get a more severe type of dengue a few days after they first started feeling ill, but this is rare.
You may start to feel better with your temperature returning to normal, but about 24 to 48 hours later you may get more serious symptoms.
Symptoms of severe dengue include:
Severe dengue can be very serious if it's not treated quickly in hospital.
Go to a hospital as soon as possible if you get severe dengue symptoms while you're travelling.
Most people with dengue feel better in a few days.
There is no treatment for dengue, but you can help ease your symptoms by:
Do not take anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin. These can cause bleeding problems if you have dengue.
If you have severe dengue, you'll need to stay in hospital until you recover.
There's no vaccine available in the UK that you can have to prevent dengue before travelling to a country where there's a risk of infection.
If you're at increased risk of dengue, you should avoid travelling to countries where the infection is found.
At-risk groups include those who:
If you’re in a country where dengue is found, the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers to cover your arms and legs, particularly during early morning and early evening
use insect repellent on your skin (ideally one that contains the ingredient DEET)
close windows and doors whenever possible, or use blinds or screens
sleep under a mosquito net treated with insecticide, including during the day
