Rapid testing for dengue is available and administered by healthcare professionals. It is not a test that can be done at home as it requires medically-trained personnel to draw blood. These tests provide results in as little as 15-20 minutes, unlike the more traditional dengue tests which may require a wait of at least one to two days for results to be available.
Using a rapid dengue test means that proper management of the infection can start earlier, increasing the likelihood of a full recovery and prevention of severe dengue symptoms.
The bane of reinfection
There are four types of closely related dengue viruses, or serotypes. Recovery from infection by a serotype provides lifelong immunity against that particular serotype, but not to others. In fact, subsequent infection by other serotypes could result in severe dengue.²
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