What should you know about antigen dengue?

Antigen testing can support a diagnosis while the virus is present in the bloodstream. A positive result supports dengue infection, but your clinician interprets it alongside your symptoms, examination, timing of illness, and other tests. A negative result does not always settle the question, especially if testing is done at a different stage of illness. Dengue commonly presents with fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, or easy bruising. These symptoms can have other causes, so a test result should not be read in isolation.

Arrange clinical follow-up so the result and your symptoms can be reviewed together. Rest, drink fluids if you can, and record your temperature and any new symptoms. Ask which medicines are suitable before taking pain or fever remedies, because some medicines can increase bleeding risk. Avoid donating blood while your clinician is assessing a possible infection, and reduce mosquito exposure to help prevent further spread. A GP Consultation can help organise examination, monitoring, and any repeat or additional testing.

Seek urgent medical care for bleeding, worsening easy bruising, severe or persistent abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, confusion, marked weakness, breathing difficulty, fainting, or inability to drink. Dengue can become more serious as fever settles, so do not rely on the temperature alone. If you feel rapidly worse or cannot keep fluids down, contact urgent services promptly.

Ask: What does my antigen result mean with my current symptoms? Do I need another test or a follow-up review? Which medicines should I avoid? How much fluid should I aim to take? Which warning signs should prompt urgent assessment?