Dengue is a mosquito borne Flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family. Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide and is endemic in the Caribbean. There are four serotypes of the virus (DENV1, DENV2, DENV3 and DENV4) all of which can be found in the Caribbean [1]. Dengue causes flu like symptoms including; high fever, headaches, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, rash and muscle pain. The symptoms can last for approximately 2-7 days [2,3].
Dengue can potentially develop into a lethal complication known as severe dengue, formerly referred to as dengue heamorraghic fever. Severe dengue is one of the leading causes of serious illness and death among children in some Asian and Latin American countries [4]. The risk of developing severe dengue is increased when one recovers from an infection resulting from a specific serotype and is then subsequently infected by other serotypes [4].
The transmission of dengue is influenced by factors such as rainfall, temperature and unplanned rapid urbanization [4]. Dengue is transmitted by the female Aedes mosquito. The primary disease vector is the female Aedes aegypti. Infected human individuals are the main carriers of the disease.