What is 'breakbone fever' most commonly known as?

Dengue fever is most commonly known as 'breakbone fever' due to the excruciating muscle and joint pain it causes, which can feel as though the bones are breaking [2]. The term was famously coined by Dr. Benjamin Rush in 1789 during an outbreak in Philadelphia. It is a mosquito-borne viral infection primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes [1]. While many cases are asymptomatic or mild, characterized by high fever, headache, and nausea, the disease can progress to severe forms like Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) or Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) [4]. Other monikers for the disease include 'Dandy Fever' and '7-day fever' [1]. In contrast, typhoid is a bacterial infection of the intestine, and yellow fever is a distinct viral hemorrhagic disease.

Sources

1. [1] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > Dengue and Chikungunya > p. 79
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > Activity 3.4: Let us find out > p. 35
3. [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430732/