Cardiovascular Complications of Dengue Virus

Dengue virus is an arbovirus primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes and can cause a range of symptoms from mild febrile illness to severe dengue hemorrhagic fever and shock leading to cardiovascular collapse. The incidence of dengue globally has been on the rise, partially due to higher travel volumes to dengue-endemic regions and climate change allowing for an expanded range of Aedes mosquito vectors. As the incidence of dengue rises, atypical presentations of dengue are reported with increasing frequency and cardiac manifestations such as electrocardiographic abnormalities, myocarditis, and pericarditis warrant further investigation. This review will discuss our current understanding of the cardiovascular manifestations of dengue and management, explore its proposed pathogenesis, and conclude with a discussion of possible future research directions.