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By Mayo Clinic staffDiagnosing dengue fever can be difficult. That's because its signs and symptoms can be easily confused with those of other diseases, such as malaria, leptospirosis and typhoid fever. To diagnose dengue fever, your doctor will:
- Evaluate your signs and symptoms
- Review your medical and travel history
- Test your blood for evidence of a dengue virus
Medical history
Your doctor will likely ask about your medical and travel history and any exposure to mosquitoes. Be sure to describe international trips in detail, including the countries you visited and the dates, as well as any contact you may have had with mosquitoes.
Blood tests
Laboratory tests, usually using a sample of your blood, are needed to confirm a diagnosis of dengue fever. If you have dengue fever, your blood may reveal the virus itself. If not, blood tests known as hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) can detect antigens, antibodies or nucleic acids specific to the viruses. These tests may take several days.
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