Protect Yourself and Others

Use the Tips Below to Protect Yourself and Others from Dengue

Following these tips will help to protect you, your partner, your family, your friends, and your community from dengue.
The more steps you take, the more protected you are.

Dengue is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Mosquitoes that spread dengue virus bite during the day and night. These types of mosquitoes also spread chikungunya and Zika viruses.
The best way to prevent these diseases is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
Find an insect repellent right for you by using EPA’s search tool.

During the first week of infection, dengue virus is found in the blood of an infected person. If a mosquito bites the infected person, the mosquito becomes infected. The infected mosquito can spread the virus to other people through bites.
Not everyone infected with dengue gets sick. Even if you do not feel sick, travelers returning to the United States from an area with risk of dengue should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for 3 weeks so they do not spread dengue to mosquitoes that could spread the virus to other people.

A new dengue vaccine is now available for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and freely associated states, including the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
The vaccine is approved for use in children aged 9 to 16 years with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue virus infection and living in areas where dengue is endemic (common).
The vaccine is not approved for use in U.S. travelers who are visiting but not living in an area where dengue is common.

Page last reviewed: June 28, 2021