Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness causing high fever, severe pain, and potential complications. Learn about symptoms, treatment, prevention, and risk areas.

Patients suffering from dengue fever are treated inside the Mugdha General Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Sept. 17, 2023. Mamunur Rashid—NurPhoto/Getty Images.

Dengue virus, often referred to as dengue fever or "break-bone fever," due to pain being one of the major symptoms, is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.