What does dengue mean?
Dengue is a viral infectious disease found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions, transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti. It causes a sudden high fever accompanied by intense headache, pain behind the eyes, severe muscle and joint aches, nausea, and a skin rash. Because of the characteristic bone-deep body pain, it has long been known colloquially as 'breakbone fever.' Most people recover within a week or two, but a small proportion develop severe dengue, a potentially life-threatening complication involving bleeding, plasma leakage, and organ impairment that requires urgent medical care. The disease is a major public-health concern worldwide, with tens of millions of cases each year, making mosquito control, vaccination, and early diagnosis central to prevention efforts in affected regions.
nounAn infectious tropical disease caused by a flavivirus and transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes, characterized by sudden high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, and rash.
- The mosquito-borne viral tropical disease marked by high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash.
"The city launched an emergency mosquito-control campaign after a surge in dengue cases during the monsoon season."
"Health officials confirmed several hundred cases of dengue across the coastal province this summer."
"After returning from her trip to Southeast Asia, she was hospitalized with dengue and spent a week recovering from the severe fatigue."
Rarely used; 'dengue' is almost always treated as an uncountable mass noun referring to the disease, with 'cases of dengue' serving as the natural way to express multiple occurrences.
"Clinicians distinguish between different severities of dengue rather than counting distinct dengues."
Dengue is nicknamed 'breakbone fever' because its intense joint pain can make sufferers feel as if their bones are breaking.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dengue
The word 'dengue' entered English in the early 19th century from Spanish 'dengue,' itself most likely borrowed from a Swahili source, often cited as a Swahili phrase describing a cramp-like affliction attributed to an evil spirit. It was first applied in English to the painful fever during outbreaks in places such as the Caribbean and Spain, and the alternative names 'breakbone fever' and 'dandy fever' arose around the same time to describe its symptoms and the affected patients' stiff, awkward gait.
How dengue is actually used
A countable usage ('a dengue', 'two dengues') is rare; the word is normally uncountable when referring to the disease generally, though 'cases of dengue' is standard for counting instances. The fuller term 'dengue fever' is common in medical and formal contexts.
Easily confused with dengue
Malaria is caused by a Plasmodium parasite transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, whereas dengue is caused by a virus carried mainly by Aedes mosquitoes.
Chikungunya is a separate mosquito-borne viral disease with similar symptoms but typically longer-lasting joint pain, and it is not the same illness as dengue.