DENGUE FEVER

In most cases, the dengue virus causes no symptoms or only mild symptoms, which disappear within a few days and up to a week. Classic dengue fever can initially become noticeable through flu-like symptoms. Typical symptoms at the beginning include a fever up to 40 degrees, chills and headaches. The headaches are often perceived as a strong feeling of pressure behind the eyes. Additional symptoms include muscle pain and joint pain, which is why dengue fever is also called “break-bone fever”. It can also cause a skin rash with small, pale red spots on the body. The lymph nodes can become swollen. It often takes several weeks for the symptoms of classic dengue fever to completely disappear.

A severe form of dengue fever can develop in a very small number of sufferers. Children and people who have already experienced a dengue infection are particularly at risk.

The severe form is accompanied by other symptoms, such as severe abdominal pain, vomiting, shortness of breath and impaired consciousness. Blood clotting disorders typically occur over the course of the disease. Signs of this can be small, pinpoint bleeding on the skin (petechiae) or more severely nosebleeds and internal bleeding.

The severe form of dengue fever can lead to circulatory collapse and organ failure. If dengue fever is detected and treated early, the mortality rate is below 1%. In Germany, severe forms of the disease and dengue deaths are extremely rare.

It usually takes 4 to 7 days from infection to the onset of the initial symptoms. Less often symptoms occur after 3 days or only after up to 14 days. Sufferers cannot transmit the virus themselves to other people. They are therefore not contagious to other people, except in the case of a needle injury, for example.

However, if the infected person is bitten by an Aedes mosquito, the virus can be transmitted to the mosquito. This mosquito can then infect other people through a bite.

The dengue virus can infect people living in tropical or subtropical regions in particular. In Germany, this mainly affects people who are traveling in Central America, South America, South East Asia or parts of Africa. In southern parts of Europe, there are only very few cases of transmission compared to the other regions mentioned. Certain groups of people have an increased risk of a severe case of dengue fever:

• Children under 15 years of age
• People who have already been infected with the dengue virus

The vaccine Qdenga has been available to protect against dengue fever since spring 2023. In November 2023, a recommendation for this vaccine was issued by the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO). The STIKO recommends vaccination only for people aged 4 years and older who have been proven to have been infected with the dengue virus (i.e. laboratory confirmation of a dengue virus infection is available) and who

• are planning a trip to a risk area or
• carry out targeted activities with dengue viruses (e.g. in research institutions or laboratories) outside endemic areas.

Vaccination should take place at the earliest 6 months after a laboratory-confirmed infection with the dengue virus.

Two doses of the vaccine at least 3 months apart are required for adequate vaccination protection.