Dengue virus

The dengue virus is a virus that can cause dengue fever. The following is a specific introduction to the dengue virus:

1. Virus attributes:
   • The dengue virus belongs to the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family. It is spherical and has a diameter of about 45 – 55 nanometers. The outer layer of the virus particle is an envelope, on which glycoprotein spikes are embedded, and the inside contains single – stranded positive – sense RNA as genetic material.
2. Impact on the human body:
   • After infecting humans, the virus can induce degenerative changes in the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain to varying degrees. After entering the human body, the virus first replicates in the mononuclear – macrophage system and capillary endothelial cells, enters the bloodstream, forming the first viremia. Then, the virus located in lymphoid tissues and the mononuclear – macrophage system continues to replicate and is released into the blood again, forming the second viremia and causing relevant clinical symptoms.
3. Transmission characteristics:
   • The main vectors for the transmission of the dengue virus are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. After an Aedes mosquito bites a person or animal infected with the dengue virus, the virus multiplies inside the mosquito. When this mosquito bites other people, it will spread the virus. There is generally no direct transmission between people.
4. Symptoms of the disease:
   • After being infected with the dengue virus, patients’ clinical manifestations are complex and diverse. Typical symptoms include sudden high fever, with body temperature rising rapidly above 39 °C accompanied by chills; pain in muscles and joints throughout the body, especially in the back and leg muscles; rashes may occur, mostly within 2 – 5 days after the onset of the disease, distributed on the limbs, trunk, head, and face, etc.; some patients have a bleeding tendency, such as subcutaneous bruises or small red dots, nose, mouth, and gum bleeding, etc.; lymph node enlargement and slight tenderness may also occur.
5. Distribution areas:
   • Dengue fever is mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions and is prevalent in urban and semi – urban areas. Dengue fever outbreaks have occurred in coastal or border areas such as Guangdong and Yunnan in China.

Currently, there are no specific antiviral drugs for the dengue virus, and treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic and supportive care. The key measure to prevent dengue fever is to prevent and control mosquitoes and avoid being bitten by Aedes mosquitoes.