Key points about dengue fever
- you can get dengue fever from the bite of an infected mosquito
- many tamariki (children) who have dengue fever may have no symptoms, or they may just have a mild illness with a fever
- some tamariki may get a more severe type of dengue fever and get very sick
- the best way to avoid dengue fever is to prevent mosquito bites
What is dengue fever?
Dengue is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes. Your child can catch dengue fever by being bitten by an infected Aedes mosquito.
A photo of the Aedes mosquito which causes dengue fever.
Source: iStock
Where you can catch it
Dengue fever is not common in Aotearoa New Zealand.
It is very common in other more tropical parts of the world such as:
- the Pacific Islands
- parts of Asia and Africa
- Central and South America
- the Caribbean
- some southern areas of North America
There are different types of dengue fever
There are different types of the virus that cause dengue fever. This means your child can get dengue fever more than once if they get a different type. Infection by one type doesn't protect against the other types.
Dengue fever doesn't spread between people
You can't catch dengue fever from another person. If your child has returned to New Zealand with dengue fever, they cannot pass it on to others in the family.
Visit the HealthEd website for information about dengue fever in several languages.
Dengue fever (Cook Islands Māori)
Dengue fever (Fijian)
Dengue fever (Niuean)
Dengue fever (Samoan)
Dengue fever (Tongan)
How to help your child avoid getting dengue fever
There is no vaccine to prevent dengue fever.
The best way to avoid dengue fever is to prevent mosquito bites. Protect your child from mosquito bites day and night.
In this video, Dr Laupepa Va'a talks about how people travelling overseas can avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that might carry diseases.
Source: Ministry of Health
transcribeTranscript
Travelling overseas?
Fight the bite day and night.
Talofa lava, my name is Dr Laupepa Va'a from the Ministry of Health.
Mosquitoes in some countries can spread diseases like dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever and the Zika virus that can make you or your loved ones very sick.
The best way to avoid these diseases is to avoid getting bitten during the day, and at night!
Encourage family and other group members to do this too.
Everyone needs to be kept safe.
Simple things work best.
Use insect repellent, especially when you are outside.
Some work better than others.
You can find more information about this on our website.
If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, put the sunscreen on first and then the repellent.
Wear clothes that protect you from mosquitoes - light coloured long-sleeved shirts, long pants and hats are ideal.
You can spray them with insect repellent to help stop mosquitoes biting through your clothes.
Remember to reapply the repellent as you would on your skin, because it wears off over time.
You can use mosquito coils and if you’re camping, use insect screens on tents.
When you’re inside:
- turn on the air conditioning if you have it - cool air keeps mosquitoes away
- use insect sprays and try to stay in places with insect screens on windows and doors
If you are not staying somewhere with air conditioning or insect screens, sleep under a mosquito net at night, or put on insect repellent before you go to bed.
If you feel sick during your trip or after you come home, get medical advice.
If you are back in New Zealand you can call Healthline for free. Or see your family doctor and make sure you tell them about your travel.
You can find out more on the Ministry of Health website.
Indoors
Stay in places with screens on doors and windows if possible.
Use a mosquito net over your child's bed or cot whenever they sleep - for daytime and nighttime sleeps. New bed nets often have insecticide already on the net, but if not, you can spray the net with insecticide.
Use air conditioning or fans if available. Close all windows and doors. This is very effective at keeping mosquitoes out of the room.
Use insect sprays indoors when mosquitos are around - even if you can't see them.
Use mosquito coils.
Outdoors
Clothing
Make sure your child wears socks and shoes rather than sandals, jandals or bare feet.
Dress your child in light-coloured, loose fitting clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants and hats.
Insect repellent
Put insect repellent containing up to 30% DEET (diethyltoluamide) on your child. Higher concentrations are no more effective and can be harmful.
When using sunscreen, put repellent on after the sunscreen.
Spray repellent on clothes.
Camping
Use zip-up screens on tents.
Avoiding some areas
Stay away from places where mosquitoes are most active or breeding - for example, stagnant water.
See more detailed information from the Canadian Paediatric Society about insect repellent for children.
Check the latest information on outbreaks before you travel
Check out the Safe Travel website before you travel out of New Zealand. It provides information about the latest outbreaks.
Symptoms of dengue fever
Your child can develop symptoms 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Illustration showing a child with symptoms of dengue fever.
Source: KidsHealth
transcribeTranscript
The illustration shows a child standing in the centre wearing a white shirt with the KH logo. Around the child are circles highlighting symptoms of dengue fever, each connected by dashed lines.
- At the top left is a close-up of the child’s face labelled ‘Sudden high fever’.
- To the right is another close-up showing the child with eyes closed in discomfort, labelled ‘Pain behind the eyes’.
- In the centre right, another image of the child’s face is labelled ‘Fatigue’, and a dashed line leads to the text ‘Headache’ beside the main figure.
- At the bottom right, an image shows the child’s red and sore arm, labelled ‘Sore muscles and joints’.
- On the lower left, one circle shows a hand and arm covered in a red ‘Rash’.
- Another shows the child holding their stomach, labelled ‘Nausea and vomiting’.
- The main title at the bottom reads ‘Dengue fever symptoms’.
At the bottom left is the KidsHealth logo with the website: kidshealth.org.nz.
Dengue fever symptoms can last up to 10 days and may include:
- a sudden high fever
- an intense headache
- pain behind the eyes
- muscle and joint pain
- feeling very tired
- nausea and vomiting
- a skin rash
Many tamariki who have dengue fever may have no symptoms, or they may just have a mild illness with a fever.
How dengue fever is diagnosed
Your health professional will ask about your child's symptoms and examine your child. If your health professional suspects dengue fever, your child will need a blood test.
Managing dengue fever
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever.
Caring for your child at home
Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest.
Give your child paracetamol to manage fever and pain. You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle - it is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose.
Do not use aspirin or ibuprofen tablets (and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets). They can increase the risk of bleeding from dengue infection - speak to your pharmacist or health professional first.
What is severe dengue fever?
People with severe dengue fever need hospital treatment because the disease is life-threatening.
Symptoms of dengue fever usually last up to 10 days.
2 to 5 days after dengue fever symptoms have begun, some people may get severe dengue fever. They get worse very quickly even though their fever goes down.
Your child is more at risk of severe dengue fever if they have had dengue fever before.
People with severe dengue fever need hospital treatment because the disease can be life-threatening.
Warning signs of severe dengue fever include:
- severe tummy pain
- vomiting which doesn't get better
- bleeding gums
- vomiting blood
- rapid breathing
- extreme tiredness
- restlessness
When to get medical help for your child
If your child is feeling sick during your trip or in the first 3 weeks after you return home, seek medical advice.
If you are back in New Zealand, you can call Healthline for free on 0800 611 116, or see a health professional. Make sure you tell them about your travel.
Healthline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0800 611 116. Call Healthline if you need advice about a child of any age who is unwell, hurt, or has any symptoms of sickness. It's free to callers throughout New Zealand, including from a mobile phone.
Acknowledgements
Illustrations by Dr Greta File. Property of KidsHealth.
