By Melissa Voelker
Dengue Fever is one of the most prevalent tropical viruses, the most widespread after malaria. It is easily transmitted by mosquito bites. It is important, before traveling to an area where Dengue Fever occurs often such as Korea, to know the signs and symptoms of this virus and how to watch out for it.
Time Frame
Dengue Fever outbreaks were on the rise in the Asia Pacific region during 2008, with three times more victims killed then in previous years (3,255 within South Asia, North Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Timor Leste).
Features
Dengue Fever is marked by sudden high fever, severe headache mostly in the forehead, body and joint pains, and nausea and/or vomiting. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is marked by bleeding from areas such as the nose or gums, pain in the abdomen, cold skin, sleeplessness, and frequent vomiting.
Effects
Dengue Fever is the less severe form of the virus and usually affects older children and adults but in most cases does not cause death. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is more severe and can lead to death, especially in children.
Considerations
There is no specific treatment for Dengue Fever, though the symptoms can be treated if it is caught early enough.
Warning
Dengue Fever is easily spread between people by being bitten by affected mosquitoes. It can pass very quickly into effecting a large number of people in an epidemic situation.
About the Author:
Melissa Voelker has been a professional writer since 2002. She works full time at a TV station in the commercial traffic department and also writes for Paperbackreader.com and Pinkraygun.com. Her articles have appeared in "Listen," "The Spokesman Review" and "Freepress Houston."
