Is Dengue Fever Contagious?

Dengue is considered to be a non-contagious disease. It never transmits from a person to another person and hence is not contagious. One must understand that dengue is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito called Aedes Aegypti that is more active during the day.

When a mosquito consumes a blood meal from the person infected with dengue, the virus gets into the mosquito and replicates there. Later the virus migrates to the salivary glands of the mosquito. When this infected mosquito bites, the virus is transmitted to the person.

A. polynesiensis, A. albopictus and A. Scutellaris are the other mosquito species that can transmit dengue fever. Dengue patients are strongly advised to stay off blood donation, as their infected blood can cause potential spread of the disease. Apart from this physical transfer of infected blood from the patient to a healthy person, dengue cannot spread from person to person. There has been no report of the spread of the disease through coughing, sneezing or by touch.

To prevent the threat of dengue infection, you can only depend on the precautions because as yet, neither is there a vaccine for prevention this disease, nor any anti-viral drug for treatment. You do need to take care that mosquitoes do no reach the patient as they can become carriers of the dreaded viruses. Dengue patient goes through two bouts of fever and you need to ensure that he is under mosquito netting until they pass.

• It is advised that the arms and legs of the patient must be completely covered with full sleeve and full length leg clothing.
• Mosquito repellents need to be applied on all body parts.
• Be especially careful in protecting the patient during daytime as it is easy to get complacent because mosquitoes are not so prevalent then when compared with night time. S
• Since Aedes mosquito is a daytime biter, and it peaks its biting activity during sunrise and sunset, you are advised to stay indoors if the threat of dengue is high.

Since the outbreak of dengue fever is on the rise in India and other Asian countries, these people need to be very cautious during rainy season. Recently, 2010 was the year in which the effect of this epidemic was felt a lot. Many cases were reported throughout the year. Dengue may not be contagious but the risk of its spread increases manifold, and is no less threatening, in those years when there is a good rainfall.

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