Dengue is on the rise worldwide, with more than 10.6 million reported cases in the Americas alone.
The CDC said the actual number of infections may be higher than reported. Dengue is more common in tropical regions but has spread to previously unaffected areas, including the United States.
Here’s what Michiganders need to know.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue fever is a viral disease caused by one of four related dengue viruses.
It is the most common arbovirus infection worldwide. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. It cannot be transmitted from person to person.
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What are the symptoms of dengue fever?
About one in four people infected with dengue fever becomes ill. Symptoms can be mild or severe. In severe cases, the virus can become life-threatening within hours and require hospitalization.
According to the CDC, dengue symptoms usually appear within two weeks of being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms usually last two to seven days, and most people recover in about a week.
The most common symptoms are:
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Pain (eye pain, typically behind the eye, muscle, joint, or bone pain)
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nausea
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vomiting
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rash
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Warning signs
About 1 in 20 people who contract dengue will become seriously ill. Severe dengue can lead to shock, internal bleeding and death.
Serious symptoms include:
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Abdominal pain or tenderness
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Vomiting (at least 3 times within 24 hours)
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Bleeding from the nose or gums
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Vomiting blood or passing blood in the stool
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Feeling extremely tired or restless
Is there a cure for dengue fever?
There are no antiviral drugs approved to treat dengue fever. Instead, treatments aim to support patients as they fight the disease.
Is dengue fever prevalent in Michigan?
No. There have been dengue cases in Michigan, but they have all been travel-related.
According to CDC data, there have been 151 cases of dengue fever in Michigan from 2010 to 2023. The same data shows that so far in 2024, there have been 25 cases of dengue fever.
Both cases were travel-related, meaning they came from outside the state and dengue is not being spread locally by mosquitoes in the state.
Is dengue fever prevalent in the United States?
According to the CDC, the six U.S. territories and freely associated states are classified as follows: Areas where dengue fever infections are frequent or ongoingPuerto Rico, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau.
Sporadic cases and small outbreaks have occurred in Florida, Hawaii, and Texas, and localized dengue transmission has been reported in Arizona and California in the past two years.
The CDC has more information Dengue Risk Areas Online.
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