Causes of Dengue

1. Dengue fever = Dengue Haemorrhagic fever (severe dengue)

2. It transmitted by the bite of an Aedes ,mosquito infected with the Dengue Fever Virus
(DENV).
3. DENV is the RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae; genus Flavivirus. There are 4 different
but related strains : DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 serotypes. These are
arboviruses. Arboviruses means that transmitted by arthropods, especially mosquitoes
or ticks.

4. Virus attacks Leucocytes (White Blood Cells)after binding on and entering into to
reproduce inside the cells while they move throughout the body.
5. This causes the infected leucocyte to produce a number of signalling proteins, such as
interferon, which are responsible for many symptoms, such as the fever, the flu-like
symptoms and the muscle and joint pains. Symptoms appear 3-14 days after the
infective bite .
6. In later stage, the virus attacks the bone marrow. The dysfunction of the bone marrow
leads to reduced numbers of platelets, which are necessary for effective blood clotting
and repair of blood capillaries. This leads to petchiae rashes in the skin and purple gum
and tongue. Finally, it may lead to lethal haemorrhagic complications.
7. The liver may also be attacked causing less plasma proteins to be produced. This causes
decrease in water potential , in the blood vessels and water from the bloodstream
leaks through the wall of small blood vessels into body cavities.
As a result, less blood circulates in the blood vessels, and the blood pressure becomes
so low that it cannot supply sufficient blood to vital organs leaing to sudden death.