Dengue Fever as an Emerging Health Concern in Ethiopia

Abstract

Dengue, which can be caused by the dengue virus infections, is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease worldwide. The virus is transmitted through the bites of Aedes mosquitoes which breed in small bodies of fresh water, most commonly in various containers around homes. There are four different dengue virus serotypes, and infection with one serotype gives little immune protection against the other types. After an incubation of 8-10 days, a mild and usually self-limited flu-like illness develops. Current scientific evidence shows that sequential infection increases the risk for the severe form of the infection with bleedings, leading to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or the dengue shock syndrome (DSS). It is a complex disease with various clinical presentations which often go unrecognized or misdiagnosed as other common fever-causing tropical diseases.