DISEASE AND ILLNESS

People get dengue when they are bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus. Dengue cannot be spread from person to person like a cold or the flu.

For most travellers, there are currently no drugs or vaccine available to prevent dengue. The main method of prevention is to avoid mosquito bites when overseas.

To avoid being bitten while inside it is best to have:

• screens on doors and windows;
• insect sprays;
• electric insect-repellent devices, or mosquito coils;
• permethrin insecticide on clothes (permethrin can be bought at Travel Medicine Clinics);
• a mosquito net over your bed at night. You can spray this with permethrin if you wish;
• air conditioning turned on if you have it. Air conditioning is very effective at keeping mosquitoes out of a room.

To avoid being bitten outdoors:

• wear a repellent cream or spray containing less than 35% diethyltoluamide (DEET). High concentrations are not more effective and can be harmful. Products containing 20-25% picaridin or 30% lemon eucalyptus oil can also be used.
• when using sunscreen, apply repellent over the top of sunscreen;
• wear light-coloured protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long pants and hats. Clothing can be treated with repellent.
• use zip-up screens on tents;
• avoid places where mosquitoes are most active, such as swampy areas;
• wear hats and shoes (rather than sandals).

You normally find more mosquitos around in the early morning and late afternoon, so it’s important to be particularly careful during these times.

Dengue symptoms usually last around two to seven days.

There is no specific treatment for dengue, however, you can ease your symptoms by:

• Drinking plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
• Getting plenty of bed rest.
• Taking paracetamol to manage pain at recommended doses.

If you are taking medication for another condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medicatiion.

If you have dengue, do not take aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) as this can increase the risk of bleeding. 

• Fact sheet - Dengue fever PDF (ARPHS) 
• Q&A- Dengue fever PDF (ARPHS). This is also available in:
  • Cook Island Maori (PDF)
  • Fijian (PDF)
  • Samoan (PDF) 
  • Tongan (PDF)
• Flyer - Travellers' information: Mosquitoes PDF (ARPHS)