Biological and Environmental Aspects

**3**

**Chapter 1**

**Abstract**

**1. Introduction**

palms and soles.

**2. Etiology**

(mosquitoes or ticks) [2].

Dengue Fever: An Overview

Dengue fever is a disease caused by a family of viruses transmitted by mosquitoes.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection which has a sudden onset that follows symptoms such as headache, nausea, weakness, intense muscle and joint pain, swelling of lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and rashes on the skin. Many symptoms of dengue fever include gingivitis, sharp pain in the eyes, and swollen

Dengue can affect any person but appears to be more serious in immunocompromised people. Because it is caused by one of the five dengue virus serotypes, it is possible to have dengue fever multiple times. Nonetheless, a dengue attack provides lifelong immunity to the specific viral serotype to which the patient has been exposed. This disease may also be called "breakbone fever" or "dandy fever."

This dengue fever may become more serious and then named as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a more severe form in which hemorrhages occurs in the body. It is a life-threatening condition, and

Dengue virus (DENV) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus in the *Flaviviridae* family and the *Flavivirus* genus. When viewed under the transmission electron micrograph, the virions appear as a bunch of black spots. Yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, tickborne encephalitis virus, Kyasanur Forest disease virus, and Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus belong to this family, and majority of them is transmitted by arthropods

it may progress to the most critical form called dengue shock syndrome [1].

Dengue virus (DENV), a member of the *Flaviviridae* family, causes the most widespread mosquito-borne viral infection in humans around the world today. Dengue can affect anyone but tends to be more severe in people with compromised immune systems. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a more severe form of a viral illness. Symptoms include headache, fever, rash, and evidence of bleeding (hemorrhage) in the body. This form of dengue fever can be life-threatening and can progress to the most severe form of the illness, dengue shock syndrome. This chapter reviews the etiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology, transmissions, manifestations,

*Ramalingam Kothai and Balasubramanian Arul*

diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of dengue.

**Keywords:** dengue, etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology
