Question

Name the carrier of dengue fever.

Answer 1

The carrier of dengue fever is an invertebrate that requires blood as its energy source in order to lay batches of eggs during its lifetime. These invertebrates are usually found in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world.

Complete step by step answer:
Dengue fever is caused by the virus that belongs to the Flaviviridae family. It is carried by female Aedes mosquitos. Two species of Aedes i.e Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the vectors of the dengue fever. The infected female Aedes mosquito bites a healthy human and transmits the virus in their bloodstream.
- After an infected female Aedes mosquito bites a healthy human being, it develops viremia after four days. Viremia is a condition of the population explosion of viruses in the blood. Its effect is observed on the fifth day when the person develops symptoms of dengue fever. Viremia can last for five to twelve days. The symptoms of dengue fever include aches and pains usually behind the eyes, in joints or bones. This is followed by a nauseous feeling of vomiting and rashes may also appear on the body of the patient.
- When an uninfected female mosquito bites an infected individual during viremia, it takes the virus along with blood. The virus then occupies and divides in the salivary glands of mosquitos. The cycle repeats when this infected mosquito bites another healthy individual and injects its saliva along with the virus in order to suck the blood.

Note:
- The warning signs appear after 24- 48 hours of the first cycle of fever. These include stomach or belly pain, vomiting 3-4 times in a day, bleeding from the nose and gums with certain cases of occurrence of blood in stool too.
- If left untreated, it may lead to internal bleeding and even death.