What should you know about dengue caused by which virus?

Dengue virus is carried between people by particular mosquitoes. The mosquito acquires virus while feeding on an infected person and may transmit it during a later bite. Dengue is not the same as a bacterial infection, so antibiotics do not treat its cause. Infection may cause fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, nausea, rash, or easy bruising. The symptoms can overlap with other illnesses, making clinical review important when exposure is possible.

Rest, drink fluids in small frequent amounts, and monitor changes in temperature, pain, bleeding, alertness, and urination. Use mosquito-bite precautions while you have symptoms. Arrange a GP Consultation to discuss testing and safe symptom relief, especially after travel or a known bite. Avoid aspirin or ibuprofen unless a clinician specifically recommends them. Give the clinician your medicines and relevant medical history so advice can be tailored.

Obtain urgent care for severe abdominal pain, ongoing vomiting, bleeding, black stools, blood in vomit, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, severe drowsiness, or inability to drink. Symptoms can change around the time a fever settles, so improvement in temperature does not remove the need for observation. Ask for earlier assessment if you are pregnant, caring for a child, or have a chronic condition or reduced immunity.

Ask how the diagnosis will be checked, whether testing timing matters, which medicines are safe, and how to protect people at home from mosquitoes. Clarify which changes require emergency care and when follow-up should occur.