Dengue and Dengue-Like Illness

Dengue virus, a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus, is the most common arbovirus infection of humans. Any of four dengue virus serotypes (1, 2, 3, and 4) may cause illness. Infection confers long-lasting protection against reinfection with the same dengue virus serotype but not against other serotypes. Hence, repeated dengue virus infections are possible if an individual is exposed sequentially to several serotypes. Infection with dengue virus may result in dengue fever or the more severe forms of disease known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).