About Dengue: What You Need to Know

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Mosquito feeding on host

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes spread dengue to people through bites.

  • Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus) mosquito. These mosquitoes also spread Zika, chikungunya, and other viruses.
  • Almost half of the world’s population, about 4 billion people, live in areas with a risk of dengue. Dengue is often a leading cause of illness in areas with risk.
  • Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue. Approximately 100 million people get sick from infection, and 40,000 die from severe dengue.
  • Dengue is caused by one of any of four related viruses: Dengue virus 1, 2, 3, and 4.  For this reason, people can be infected with dengue multiple times in their life.