How people are infected
Dengue is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, usually a type of mosquito called Aedes aegypti.
Mosquitoes are the most deadly animal in the world, killing up to one million people a year as estimated by the World Health Organization.
Female mosquitoes need to feed on blood to produce eggs. They feed on lots of different mammals, including humans, and use a needle-like mouth called a proboscis to pierce your skin.
