Can dengue spread from one person to another?

A mosquito can pick up dengue virus when it feeds on an infected person. After the virus develops inside the mosquito, a later bite can pass it to another person. This means a person with dengue can be a source for local mosquito transmission even though ordinary household contact does not usually spread the infection.

Dengue may cause fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint pain or a rash. These symptoms do not show whether someone can transmit the virus, so avoid relying on appearance alone. A suspected infection deserves medical advice, particularly after travel or mosquito exposure.

If dengue is possible, prevent mosquito bites while you are ill: use an appropriate repellent, wear clothing that covers exposed skin, use screens or air conditioning, and sleep under a mosquito net where needed. Remove standing water around the home so mosquitoes have fewer places to breed.

Arrange a GP Consultation for advice about testing, hydration and return to normal activities. Tell close household members to protect themselves from bites, and share your travel history with the clinician. Do not assume that a person without symptoms cannot have been exposed.

Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding, marked drowsiness, confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, cold clammy skin or very little urine. These warning signs matter whether or not anyone else in the household is ill. A fever that improves can be followed by a period needing closer observation.

Ask how long to use bite prevention, whether household members need assessment, how testing is chosen, and which symptoms mean emergency care. Ask when travel, work or school can safely resume.