What Is the Dengue Virus?
5. How Is the Dengue Virus Transmitted?
Dengue transmission happens through the same vector as malaria, even though they are completely different diseases. When an infected person is bitten by a mosquito, it can then carry the infected blood with it and contaminate anyone else it feeds on thereafter. Not all mosquitoes can transmit the virus, though.
Mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus are the only ones that are known to transmit dengue. These mosquitoes are larger than their Western cousins and can be distinguished by the white markings all over their bodies. They can feed during the daytime but are most active during the early morning and dusk, when it is cooler.
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