Dengue fever is a systemic viral disease that occurs epidemically in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Americas and Africa. The dengue virus belongs to the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae (group B arbovirus). Aedes aegypti is the major vector and the true reservoir for the virus. Classic dengue fever lasts for two-five days, with severe headache, intense myalgia, arthralgia and retro-orbital pain. Cutaneous alterations include several findings such as a diffuse morbilliform rash that may be pruritic and heals with desquamation, and minor bleeding phenomena such as epistaxis, petechiae, and gingival bleeding. Diffuse capillary leakage of plasma is responsible for the hemoconcentration and thrombocytopenia that characterize dengue hemorrhagic fever. Cutaneous manifestations of dengue hemorrhagic fever include many disseminated hemorrhagic lesions such as petechiae and ecchymoses, but also hemodynamic instability with filiform pulse, narrowing of pulse pressure, cold extremities, mental confusion, and shock.
Dengue; Dengue hemorrhagic fever; Viral hemorrhagic fevers
