Signs and symptoms Schematic depiction of the symptoms of dengue fever Typically, people infected with dengue virus are asymptomatic (80%) or have only mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever.[2][4][5] Others have more severe illness (5%), and in a small proportion it is life-threatening.[2][5] The incubation period (time between exposure and onset of symptoms) ranges from 3 to 14 days, but most often it is 4 to 7 days.[6] Therefore, travelers returning from endemic areas are unlikely to have dengue if fever or other symptoms start more than 14 days after arriving home.[7] Children often experience symptoms similar to those of the common cold and gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea)[8] and have a greater risk of severe complications,[7][9] though initial symptoms are generally mild but include high fever.