Dengue mosquito bite: what should you do?

A bite can cause local itching or redness without causing dengue. The bite itself cannot show whether the mosquito carried dengue virus, and a visible mark may be absent. Pay attention to how you feel after exposure. Dengue fever may include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, or joint pain. Easy bruising or other bleeding needs particular attention. These symptoms are not proof of dengue, so a clinician may need to assess the full pattern and timing.

Wash the bite gently, use a cool compress for irritation, and avoid scratching. Use repellent, screens, or covering clothing to reduce additional bites, including while you are unwell. Rest and drink fluids if you develop fever. Keep a simple record of temperature, vomiting, urine output, and any bleeding. Do not take aspirin or anti-inflammatory pain medicines without clinical advice; ask a pharmacist or GP Consultation provider what is suitable for you.

Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, blood in vomit or stool, faintness, confusion, breathing difficulty, marked weakness, or inability to drink. Contact a clinician promptly if fever appears after the bite, especially with worsening headache, muscle aches, joint pain, or easy bruising.

Tell the clinician when and where the bite occurred, whether fever started, what medicines you have taken, and whether you have had vomiting, bleeding, or reduced urination.