ABSTRACT
Dengue fever is caused by a virus that is injected into human hosts by several species of mosquito vectors which breed in clean, cool water. Unlike malaria-carrying mosquitoes which reproduce in pools of sunlit water such as ponds and marshes, dengue vectors prefer urban, domestic breeding environments such as household water containers and human-made receptacles in which rain water collects. Dengue is most prevalent in Southeast Asia, where a series of epidemics have occurred since the 1970s. In the Americas, dengue is transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito from one infected human host to another. The disease is characterized by fever, chills, headache, ocular pain, skin rash, and other symptoms. The after effects are very debilitating and may include prolonged fatigue, depression, weakness, and inability to work. Although rarely fatal, repeat infections can lead to life-threatening conditions such as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome, particularly in children.
