Dengue: key points to know

Dengue is an infection that may cause a sudden fever with headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, nausea, rash, and fatigue. Platelets can fall during the illness, but the count must be read with symptoms, hydration, circulation, urine output, and other blood results.

A positive test confirms an infection according to the test and timing used by the clinician; it does not by itself describe severity. The course can change, including when the fever starts to improve, which is why planned review matters.

Rest and drink fluids regularly if you can keep them down. Take only fever or pain medicine approved for you, and avoid aspirin or ibuprofen unless specifically instructed. Keep follow-up appointments and record temperature, vomiting, pain, bleeding, alertness, and urine output. Use mosquito protection while unwell to reduce onward spread through bites.

Seek urgent medical help for severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding from any site, black stool, blood in vomit or urine, fainting, confusion, breathing difficulty, unusual sleepiness, cold clammy skin, or reduced urine. Easy bruising or a rapidly changing condition also warrants prompt clinical advice.

Ask how often you need review or blood tests, which platelet changes matter, which medicines are safe, how to maintain hydration, how to protect household members from mosquito bites, and where to seek help outside clinic hours.