Dengue symptoms and diarrhoea

A person with dengue may have fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, nausea or a rash; diarrhoea may also happen, but it is not specific to dengue. Fever is a common presentation of dengue, while diarrhoea can also result from foodborne illness or another infection. Frequent loose stools can remove fluid and salts, which may make weakness, dizziness and reduced urination worse. Blood in stool, easy bruising or bleeding should not be dismissed as ordinary diarrhoea.

Take frequent small sips of water or oral rehydration solution. Continue light foods if tolerated, and note how often stools occur, whether vomiting is present, and when you last passed urine. Avoid self-treating with aspirin or ibuprofen unless a clinician approves it. Seek a GP Consultation if fever accompanies diarrhoea, if symptoms continue, or if you recently had mosquito exposure or travelled in a dengue-affected area. Bring a list of medicines and a record of fluid intake.

Arrange urgent care for blood or black stool, repeated vomiting, severe abdominal pain, fainting, confusion, breathing difficulty, unusual bleeding, extreme sleepiness or very little urine. Infants, older people, pregnant people and those with chronic illness can become dehydrated more quickly and should be assessed early when drinking is difficult.

Ask whether the diarrhoea changes the need for dengue testing, what rehydration drink is appropriate, which medicines are safe, and how to recognise dehydration before it becomes severe.