Embassy of the United States of America in El Salvador

November 6, 2007

Dengue Fever Information

Dengue has become one of the most common viral diseases transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes. The range of areas where dengue is located includes the Caribbean, South and Central America, as well as other regions of the world. In 2006 over 18,000 cases of Dengue Fever were documented in El Salvador.
Symptoms of dengue include:
• Fever
• severe headache
• retro-orbital eye pain (pain behind the eye)
• joint and muscle pain
• rash

Dengue can produce a range of illness from mild to severe, as well as fatal hemorrhagic fever. Humans are at risk for dengue infection if they travel to or reside in areas where dengue virus is transmitted; the preventive measures outlined below can reduce their risk.
Prevention Measures

No vaccine is available to prevent dengue, and there is no specific treatment other than therapeutic support. Risk of infection is related to mosquito exposure, which can vary with the season. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue breed in man-made and natural containers, which are especially common in and around houses; therefore, dengue is common where many houses are clustered.

Humans can reduce their risk by protecting themselves from mosquito bites:

• Use insect repellent containing DEET or Picaridin on exposed skin. DEET concentrations of 30% to 50% are effective for several hours. Picaridin, available in 7% and 15% concentrations, must be applied more frequently. When using sunscreen, apply it before insect repellent.
o DEET formulations as high as 50% are recommended for both adults and children over 2 months of age. Protect infants less than 2 months of age by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.
• Wear loose, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors.
• Indoors, spray insecticide where the Aedes mosquito likes to linger: closets, behind curtains, and under beds. If practical, empty or cover containers containing water.
• Air conditioned, screened rooms furnished with mosquito nets provide further protection.
• Empty or cover containers that can collect water (e.g., uncovered barrels, flower vases, or cisterns), because mosquitoes that transmit dengue breed in standing water.
Aedes mosquitoes, the principal Dengue carrying mosquito, usually are active at dusk and dawn, but may feed at any time during the day, especially indoors, in shady areas, or when the weather is cloudy. Unlike malaria, dengue is often transmitted in urban as well as in rural areas.
For more information about dengue and protection measures, see the following links:
• Dengue Fever in CDC Health Information for International Travel 2008
• Insect and Arthropod Protection
• Questions and Answers: Insect Repellent Use and Safety
• Overview of dengue from CDC Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases