Dengue Fever: Symptoms, Treatment & Travel Advice

Dengue Fever: What Should Travellers Know?

Dengue is a viral infection spread by infected mosquitoes, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, although locally acquired cases have also been reported in parts of Europe. Many infections cause no symptoms or a relatively short flu-like illness, but a small number of people develop severe dengue and need urgent hospital treatment.

If you develop a fever or flu-like illness during or after travel to an area where dengue occurs, get medical advice promptly and tell the clinician exactly where you have travelled. Severe tummy pain, repeated vomiting, fast breathing, bleeding, extreme tiredness, restlessness or blood in vomit or stools require urgent medical assessment.

This guide explains dengue symptoms, treatment, mosquito-bite prevention, current UK vaccine advice and what to consider if illness disrupts your journey home.

What Is Dengue Fever?

Dengue is caused by dengue viruses and is transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. These mosquitoes predominantly feed during daylight hours and are common in towns, cities and surrounding areas.

Dengue is widespread across parts of Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific. TravelHealthPro also reports locally acquired dengue in parts of Europe, including Croatia, France, Italy and Spain. Risk changes by destination, season and outbreaks, so check current destination-specific advice before travelling.

For broader prevention advice, see our guide to mosquito bites and travel health risks abroad.

What Are the Symptoms of Dengue?

Not everyone infected with dengue develops symptoms. When symptoms occur, the NHS advises that they usually begin 4 to 10 days after an infected mosquito bite.

• High temperature
• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Muscle and joint pain
• Feeling or being sick
• Swollen glands
• A blotchy rash

These symptoms can resemble other infections. If you become unwell after travel, do not try to diagnose dengue yourself; tell the healthcare professional about every country you recently visited.

What Are the Warning Signs of Severe Dengue?

Severe dengue is uncommon in travellers, but it can become life-threatening without prompt hospital care. Importantly, more serious symptoms can appear as the fever starts to settle, so feeling cooler does not always mean the illness is over.

Seek urgent medical help for severe tummy pain, repeated vomiting, fast breathing, bleeding from the nose or gums, extreme tiredness, restlessness, or blood in vomit or stools. If you are in the UK and have severe dengue symptoms after travel, follow NHS emergency advice and go to A&E or call 999.

How Is Dengue Treated?

There is no specific antiviral treatment that cures dengue. Most treatment is supportive: rest, fluids and management of fever or pain while watching for signs that the illness is becoming more severe.

The NHS advises using paracetamol for pain or fever and avoiding anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin because of bleeding risk. People who cannot maintain hydration, develop warning signs or become seriously unwell may need hospital assessment and treatment.

If you are abroad, seek local medical advice promptly rather than waiting until your planned flight home. Your travel insurer may also be able to direct you to an appropriate clinic or hospital.

Can You Fly If You Have Dengue Fever?

Do not assume you are fit to fly simply because you are booked to travel or have been discharged from hospital. Acute fever, dehydration, weakness, vomiting, bleeding concerns or severe dengue can make an ordinary airport and flight journey inappropriate.

There is no single fixed number of days after dengue that makes every patient safe to fly. The decision should reflect recovery, hydration, current symptoms, any complications and the demands of the planned journey. If you have been admitted to hospital or remain unwell, ask the treating clinician whether you are medically fit for the journey and whether the airline needs medical information.

What If Dengue Leaves You Too Unwell to Fly Home Normally?

Most travellers with uncomplicated dengue recover without specialist transport. Occasionally, illness or complications can leave someone unable to manage an ordinary passenger journey when they need to return home.

Once the patient is medically stable, the appropriate journey may range from a normal flight after recovery to a commercial flight with a medical escort or, where substantially greater clinical support is required, a private air ambulance. Planning a medically supported journey normally starts with a current hospital medical report.

If an insurer will not arrange the journey, our guide explains what to do when travel insurance will not cover medical repatriation.

How Can Travellers Reduce the Risk of Dengue?

Mosquito-bite avoidance remains important even if you have been vaccinated. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue commonly bite during the daytime, so protection should not be limited to evenings or bedtime.

• Use an appropriate insect repellent and reapply it according to the product instructions.
• Wear loose clothing that covers exposed skin where practical.
• Use accommodation with effective screens or air conditioning where available.
• Use an insecticide-treated bed net when sleeping somewhere mosquitoes can enter.
• Reduce standing water around accommodation where mosquitoes may breed.
• Check current destination advice and outbreaks before travel.

Is There a Dengue Vaccine for UK Travellers?

Yes. The previous statement that there is no widely available dengue vaccine for UK travellers is now outdated. Qdenga is licensed in the UK, but it is not routinely appropriate for everyone travelling to a dengue-risk destination.

Current UK travel-health guidance says vaccination can be considered for people aged 4 years and over who have previously had dengue and are travelling to a dengue-risk area or an area with an ongoing outbreak. In exceptional circumstances it may be considered for someone without known previous dengue, but specialist advice is recommended. The vaccine is live and is not suitable for some people, including those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or immunosuppressed.

Discuss your individual risk and vaccination suitability with a travel-health professional. Check current UK dengue guidance on TravelHealthPro before travel.

What Should You Do If You Become Ill After Returning to the UK?

If you feel unwell after visiting a country where dengue occurs, the NHS advises seeking urgent medical advice and telling the healthcare professional about your recent travel. Fever after international travel can have several causes, including infections other than dengue, so your full travel history matters.

Do not assume a fever after travel is simply dengue. Depending on where you have been, clinicians may need to consider other infections such as malaria. Our separate guide explains malaria symptoms and travel advice.

Too unwell to travel home normally after dengue or another illness abroad? Ask SkyCare to assess the medical journey home.

This article was clinically reviewed by Dr Lee Collier on 11/04/2025. It has been editorially updated by SkyCare Repatriation on 20/08/2026 using current NHS and UK travel-health guidance relating to dengue symptoms, treatment, prevention and vaccination. Next clinical review due 11/04/2027 | Originally published on 10/04/2025.