Dengue/Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever-A Growing Threat to Human Health

Human Dengue/Dengue haemorrhagic fever/Dengue shock syndrome, is caused by flavivirus, belonging to family Flaviviridae, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, viz. A.aegypticus and A.albopictus. This disease may also be transmitted through infected blood products (blood transfusion, plasma platelets). There are four dengue virus serotypes (Den-1, Den-2, Den-3 and Den-4), closely related antigenically. Infection with one serotype provides life-time immunity from reinfection, with that type of dengue and not from being infected by other three types. World Health Organization (WHO) classified Dengue as major global health threat and has estimated that 2.5-3 billion people, two-fifth of world population, are now at risk from this disease.