Is a positive dengue IgM test dangerous?

IgM is an antibody made by the immune system after an infection begins. A positive result can fit with a recent dengue illness, although one test does not show how severe the illness is or predict its course. A clinician considers the timing of the test, fever, examination findings, hydration, and any bleeding symptoms. Dengue may cause fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, or easy bruising. A positive test is a reason to arrange medical advice, especially if symptoms are changing.

Contact a GP or other clinician for interpretation and a monitoring plan. Rest, take fluids regularly, and record symptoms and the timing of fever. Use only medicines recommended for you; ask before taking aspirin or ibuprofen because some medicines can increase bleeding risk during suspected dengue. Avoid mosquito bites while ill so mosquitoes do not spread the virus onward. Keep your test report available and mention pregnancy, childhood, older age, or long-term medical conditions during a GP Consultation.

Seek urgent medical care for severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, blood in vomit or stool, marked sleepiness, confusion, trouble breathing, fainting, cold or clammy skin, or inability to drink and pass urine. Symptoms can worsen around the time a fever settles, so improvement in temperature alone is not a safety check. If a person becomes difficult to wake or collapses, use emergency services immediately.

Ask when the result should be repeated or paired with another test, which pain or fever medicine is suitable, how often hydration should be checked, and which symptoms mean you should return immediately.