Signs and symptoms of dengue may include fever, headache, rash, body aches, and bleeding manifestations. Symptoms may be mild or severe. Severe dengue often requires hospitalization. Dengue can occasionally present with signs and symptoms of aseptic meningitis or encephalitis.
Dengue infection severity varies from mild illness to dengue shock syndrome. The clinical presentation of dengue patients is acute febrile illness with no localizing signs and symptoms which may mimic other infections. Therefore the laboratory tests such as a complete blood count (CBC), serological test or blood culture need to be used to differential and confirm the diagnosis.
The CBC in dengue patients change by the day of the fever, specifically on days 3 to 8, starting with progressive leukopenia followed by thrombocytopenia and hemoconcentration due to plasma leakage.
To diagnose dengue fever, particularly if you are experiencing fever after travel to a tropical or subtropical destination
When you develop a high fever within 2 weeks of travel to an area where dengue fever is endemic or an outbreak is occurring
A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm