Rashes due to dengue: symptoms and safety advice

Dengue commonly presents with fever and may also include headache, muscle aches, joint pain, chills, nausea, or marked tiredness. The rash may look blotchy, flushed, or scattered and can appear during illness or recovery. Its presence does not confirm dengue, because other infections, allergies, and medicines can also cause rashes. More useful warning clues include severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding, easy bruising, confusion, unusual sleepiness, or breathing difficulty.

Follow the clinician's hydration and review advice, rest, and record temperature and symptom changes. Drink suitable fluids unless you have been told to restrict them. Keep the skin cool, use gentle cleansing, and avoid scratching. Before taking pain or fever medicine, check with a clinician or pharmacist; aspirin and ibuprofen may be unsuitable during suspected dengue. Note any nose or gum bleeding, dark stools, vomiting, reduced urination, or increasing weakness.

Go to urgent care for bleeding, black stools, severe belly pain, persistent vomiting, fainting, confusion, cold or clammy skin, severe weakness, or breathing difficulty. Contact a clinician promptly if bruises appear easily, the rash becomes painful or blistered, or symptoms worsen as fever improves. Dengue can change quickly, so do not rely on the rash to show that recovery is complete.

Ask how dengue was confirmed, whether follow-up testing is needed, which fluids and medicines are suitable, and which warning signs should send you to emergency care.