Afro-Egypt J Infect  Endem  Dis  2015 September ; 5(3):189

Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

Saeed MA ,Attia TH

Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt

dr.maysaaabdallah@windowslive.com   

 

ABSTRACT

Dengue is endemic in at least 100 countries in Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and the Caribbean. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50 to 100 million infections occur yearly, including 500,000 dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases and 22,000 deaths, mostly among children. Both epidemic and endemic transmission of dengue viruses are maintained through a human-mosquito-human cycle involving mosquitoes of the genus Aedes  (Stegomyia). Typical clinical manifestations of dengue range from self-limited dengue fever (DF) to dengue hemorrhagic fever with shock syndrome.  Most dengue virus infections in adults are symptomatic. In contrast, most infections among children under age 15 years are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. Classic dengue fever is an acute febrile illness accompanied by malaise, headache, retro orbital pain, and marked muscle and joint pains, which evoked the term "break-bone fever".  DHF is the most serious manifestation of dengue virus infection and can be associated with circulatory failure and shock. Plasma leakage is the most specific and life-threatening feature of DHF.