Dengue fever: guidance, data and analysis
The symptoms, diagnosis and epidemiology of dengue.
Dengue fever (also known as break-bone fever) is a severe flu-like illness caused by a viral infection spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Dengue fever does not occur in the United Kingdom. All cases reported have been acquired as a result of travelling to endemic areas, the majority to South and South East Asia, South and Central America, Africa and the Caribbean.
Health professionals should be alert to the possibility of dengue in those who have recently returned from an endemic area presenting with a fever or flu-like illness.
More information about dengue fever is available from NHS.UK, World Health Organization and the National Travel Health Network and Centre.
Diagnosis
Send the appropriate samples (with a full clinical and travel history) to the UK Health Security Agency’s Rare and imported pathogens laboratory (RIPL). RIPL is a specialist centre for advice and diagnosis for a wide range of unusual viral and bacterial infections including dengue fever.
Guidance
Epidemiology
In 2013, 541 individual cases of dengue fever were reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland compared to 343 in 2012.
Updates to this page
Published 4 September 2008Last updated 17 October 2024 + show all updates
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Added green book chapter 15a and travel-associated infections.
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First published.