Transmission: Dengue fever is caused by a virus with four serotypes: 1,2,3 and 4 meaning  a person can be infected four times but after receiving one of the viruses they  would only be able to catch the other three forms of Dengue. Aedes mosquitoes (A. aegypti or aedes albopictus) act as vectors for human transmission along with being the vector for other viruses such as Chikungunya and Zika. Dengue can also be passed through breastfeeding, organ transplantation and blood transfusion but few cases have occurred.

Symptoms: One in four people will become sick from Dengue resulting in eye pain, headache, muscle pain, rash, nausea and vomiting along with bone and joint pain. Symptoms can be mild or severe and will typically lasts two to seven days. One in twenty people will develop severe Dengue resulting in shock, internal bleeding, and even death. People who have had a Dengue infection are more likely to develop DHF or DSS in the future. 

Treatment: Currently, no treatment exists for Dengue. It is suggested to watch for an advancement of symptoms and rehydrate in case of dehydration and fever.  

Risk: Dengue’s transmission history throughout the world points to the virus favoring climates such as those found in the tropics.