Overview
Dengue fever is a viral illness passed to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The disease is rare in the United States, with approximately 200 cases occurring every year, but it is common worldwide, with up to 100,000 cases a year. The mosquitoes that carry the dengue fever virus (a member of the flavivirus family) live in tropical areas, and they tend to bite humans during the day. There is a delay of about 2–7 days between the mosquito bite and the onset of symptoms, so it is possible that travelers to these areas will return home before they start having symptoms. Dengue fever is not contagious between humans; it is only passed from mosquitoes to humans. However, an infected human could pass the virus back to a mosquito, which could then infect other humans. Dengue fever is also known as breakbone fever, because the illness causes terrible muscle and bone pain.
