Dengue
Dengue fever is a viral illness transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, usually the Aedes aegypti species. There is no spread human to human.
There are 4 types of the dengue virus. If a person is infected a second time with a different virus type, they may develop more severe form of the illness known as dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF).
In the past, the Dengue mosquito has been brought in from Queensland. Most cases in the NT are either from Queensland or acquired from the Asia-Pacific region during travel.
Seasonal risk
The dengue mosquito is imported periodically into Darwin on overseas vessels, but has been detected and eliminated each time.
In February 2021, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were found to be established in Tennant Creek and an elimination program is underway.
Notifiable disease
Dengue is a notifiable disease.
Information for health professionals
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Dengue fever factsheet PDF (165.5 KB) | NT Health |
| Document | Dengue - CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care |
| Document | Mosquito-borne diseases fact sheet PDF (181.7 KB) | NT Health |
| Tropical Health Orientation Manual for health practitioners in Northern Australia | Dengue | Centre for Remote Health |
Information for the public
| Type | Resource | Author |
|---|---|---|
| Webpage | Dengue fever | Northern Territory Government |
| Webpage | Protecting yourself against mosquitoes | Northern Territory Government |
| Webpage | Dengue fever | Health direct |
Contact
Contact the Public Health Unit’s Centre for Disease Control.
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