Your Health: Simple steps to a better you.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection that poses a significant public health challenge worldwide. Transmitted primarily by the Aedes mosquito, particularly Aedes aegypti , dengue fever affects millions of people each year, leading to a wide range of symptoms from mild flu-like manifestations to severe, life-threatening conditions. Despite ongoing efforts to develop vaccines and treatments, dengue fever remains a formidable adversary due to its complex virology and the adaptability of its vector. (Image of an Aedes Mosquito; Source CDC)  What is Dengue Fever? Dengue fever is caused by the dengue virus, a member of the flavivirus family, which also includes other dangerous viruses like Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. The dengue virus exists in four distinct serotypes ( DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4 ). A person infected with one serotype develops immunity to that specific serotype but remains susceptible to the other three. This feature of the virus complicates bo...