Dengue Fever and the Qdenga Vaccine: What Medway Travellers Need to Know in 2026
Book travel appointment
Quick answer
Dengue is a mosquito-borne illness spread by daytime-biting Aedes mosquitoes in more than 100 countries. There is no specific cure, so avoiding bites is your main protection. A vaccine called Qdenga is licensed in the UK, but it is only suitable for people who have had dengue before; for most travellers, careful bite prevention is the right approach. Medway Pharmacy can advise on repellents, antimalarials and all your travel vaccines in one appointment.
What is dengue?
Dengue (sometimes called "break-bone fever") is a flu-like illness caused by a virus spread by daytime-biting Aedes mosquitoes, mostly in towns and cities. It is found in more than 100 countries, and the World Health Organization estimates that about half the world's population now lives in an area where dengue can be transmitted.
Typical symptoms include a sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, aching joints and muscles, nausea and a skin rash. Most people recover within one to two weeks. A small number develop severe dengue, which can be life-threatening: warning signs such as severe tummy pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums or extreme tiredness need emergency medical care.
Where is dengue a risk, including Europe?
Although dengue is not caught in the UK, cases are regularly reported in UK travellers returning from South and South East Asia, South and Central America, Africa and the Caribbean. Popular destinations such as Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Bali and Brazil all carry a risk.
Aedes mosquitoes are now also established in parts of Europe, and several countries, including Croatia, France, Italy and Spain, have reported locally acquired dengue cases in recent years. This means dengue is no longer only a concern for long-haul trips.
Dengue risk can change quickly during outbreaks. Always check the country page on TravelHealthPro for your destination shortly before you travel, and again if your plans change.
Is there a dengue vaccine? Qdenga explained
A dengue vaccine called Qdenga is licensed in the UK for people aged 4 and over. However, it is not recommended for most holidaymakers. The UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that Qdenga should only be considered for people who have had a confirmed dengue infection in the past and who travel frequently or for long periods to areas where dengue is common.
Qdenga is a live, weakened vaccine, so it cannot be given to people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a weakened immune system, or to children under 4. Testing for a previous dengue infection is usually only available privately in the UK. For these reasons, the vast majority of travellers from Medway are best protected by avoiding mosquito bites rather than by vaccination.
How to avoid mosquito bites
Because the Aedes mosquito bites during the day, bite avoidance needs to continue from morning to night, not just at dusk. The key steps are:
- Apply an insect repellent containing DEET (up to 50%) to exposed skin, and reapply regularly, including after swimming.
- Apply repellent after sunscreen, not before.
- Cover up with loose, long-sleeved tops and trousers, especially during the day.
- Use air conditioning or screens where possible, and sleep under a net if your room is not sealed.
What to do if you feel unwell after travelling
If you develop a high fever, severe headache or a rash within two weeks of returning from a dengue-risk area, seek urgent medical help and tell the doctor or nurse every country you have visited. There is no specific antiviral medicine for dengue: treatment is supportive, with rest, fluids and paracetamol. Avoid ibuprofen and aspirin, as they can increase the risk of bleeding.
Book travel health advice in Medway
Book a travel health appointment at 465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, ME7 5LJ. We can review your itinerary, advise on bite prevention and antimalarials, and make sure your other travel vaccines are up to date. Open 7 days a week until 10pm, with same-day appointments. Call 01634 575805.
Frequently asked questions
For most travellers, no. The Qdenga vaccine is only recommended for people who have had a confirmed dengue infection before and who travel often or for long periods to high-risk areas. Everyone else is best protected by careful, day-and-night mosquito bite avoidance. A pharmacist can confirm what is right for your trip.
Yes, although the risk is much lower than in the tropics. Aedes mosquitoes are now established in parts of southern Europe, and Croatia, France, Italy and Spain have all reported locally acquired dengue cases in recent years. Bite avoidance is still worthwhile on European summer holidays.
Both are spread by mosquitoes, but by different ones and at different times. Malaria is spread by night-biting Anopheles mosquitoes and can be prevented with antimalarial tablets. Dengue is spread by day-biting Aedes mosquitoes and has no preventive tablets, so in malaria areas you may need both tablets and all-day bite protection.
Most people recover fully within one to two weeks. A small number develop severe dengue, which can be life-threatening, so warning signs such as severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting or bleeding need emergency care. Always seek urgent medical help for a fever within two weeks of travel.
More information
Ready to book your travel vaccinations?
Our pharmacists are available 7 days a week until 10pm, with same-day appointments at Medway Pharmacy in Gillingham, Kent.
Book appointmentMedway Pharmacy · 465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham ME7 5LJ