Sir: I would like to draw the attention of the public towards the dangerous disease of dengue fever, which has spread like an epidemic in our country. All types of fever are bad for human health. However, dengue fever is very dangerous. It is quite new and has caused great alarm, fear and havoc the world over. This fever is caused by the bite of a female mosquito, which lays eggs in fresh and pure water. The dengue virus enters the blood and causes symptoms that include high and constant fever along with other very painful symptoms. A person suffering from dengue fever may become anaemic and may need a blood transfusion. Some patients recover after some time but for others it can prove fatal. Even now, when the winters are here, dengue cases are being reported. The best remedy is protection from mosquitoes. People should avoid being bitten by mosquitoes especially early in the morning and early in the evening. They should use mosquito nets to sleep in. It has been observed that those patients who have recovered from this fever keep suffering from a permanent pain in their limbs or a permanent weakness in their bodies. We should always keep our houses clean and dry. BUSHRA DILAWAR KHAN Karachi