Diagnosed with dengue: what it means and what to do

Dengue is spread by infected mosquitoes. The illness can cause fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, chills and marked tiredness. Some people develop a rash or easy bruising. Most care is supportive because there is no routine antiviral medicine that clears dengue.

Dengue often changes over several days. Fever may improve before the illness has fully settled, which is why feeling better does not always mean monitoring can stop. Your clinician may assess your symptoms, hydration, examination findings and blood tests, sometimes repeating tests to watch blood counts and other changes.

A diagnosis does not automatically mean severe dengue. Risk can vary with age, pregnancy, previous dengue infection and other health conditions. Your clinician can explain what applies to you and when follow-up testing is needed. Read more about [Dengue Fever](/conditions/dengue-fever/), [Fever](/symptoms/fever/) and [Easy Bruising](/symptoms/easy-bruising/).

Rest and take frequent fluids; oral rehydration solution can help replace water and salts if you have sweating, vomiting or poor appetite. Take the fever or pain medicine recommended by your clinician, commonly paracetamol. Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen unless a clinician specifically tells you otherwise, because they may increase bleeding risk.

Keep a record of your temperature, fluid intake, urine output and new symptoms. Prevent mosquito bites while you are ill by using repellent, wearing covering clothing and resting behind screens or under a net; an infected mosquito could pass the virus to someone else. A [GP Consultation](/treatments/consultations-and-assessment/gp-consultation/) can help arrange review and testing.

Get urgent medical help for severe or worsening abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding from the nose or gums, vomiting blood, black stools, unusual sleepiness or restlessness, difficulty breathing, fainting, cold clammy skin, or much less urine. These signs can appear around the time a fever settles and need prompt assessment.

Contact your healthcare team promptly if you cannot keep fluids down, feel increasingly weak, or are pregnant, very young, older, or living with a condition that raises your medical risk. Do not wait for a routine appointment if symptoms are rapidly worsening. [Chills](/symptoms/chills/), [Headache](/symptoms/headache/), [Joint Pain](/symptoms/joint-pain/) and [Muscle Aches](/symptoms/muscle-aches/) may accompany dengue, but severity and change over time matter most.

Ask which test supported the diagnosis, whether you need repeat blood tests, how much fluid is suitable for you, and which pain medicines are safe. Also ask when you should be reviewed, which warning signs require emergency care, and how to protect household members from mosquito bites.