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Transmitted by mosquitoes,
dengue fever is a threat to almost half of the world's population.
Dengue is a major public health problem,
particularly in Latin America and Asia
where outbreaks occur regularly.
When biting a person for its blood meal,
an infected mosquito releases saliva containing the dengue virus.
Once in the body
the virus infects the immune cells in the skin tissue
and enters the lymphatic system.
The viral infection can then trigger a strong inflammatory reaction.
During the incubation period, the virus first replicates locally
and then spreads into the bloodstream of the infected person. This is called
viremia.
For some patients, especially children,
infection may cause severe forms of disease,
including dengue hemorrhagic fever.
The blood vessels become permeable
resulting in plasma leakage.
Ultimately, dengue hemorrhagic fever requires intensive hospital care.
When a mosquito bites a person who's already infected,
it draws in the dengue virus contained in the blood.
By biting another person,
it can transmit
the virus and
spread the disease.