A dengue vaccine is now available for travellers. Here’s what you need to know

Photo by Niklas Weiss on Unsplash Some of the most popular travel destinations for Australians are also places where dengue is common.

Prevention has traditionally relied on avoiding mosquito bites.

But with the dengue vaccine Qdenga now available in Australia , travellers have another way to protect themselves.

Deciding whether to get vaccinated isn’t always straightforward.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is dengue? Dengue is a viral illness spread by mosquitoes.

It typically causes fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash.

There is no specific treatment.

Most people get better in one to two weeks, but for some, fatigue can persist for weeks or months .

Some people will develop severe illness and need hospital care and, in some cases, dengue is fatal.

There are four types of dengue virus.

Infection with any type can make you sick.

After infection, you’re protected against that type in the future, but can still be infected by the other three.

A second infection with a different type can sometimes cause more severe illness than the first.