Dengue

Dengue Fever – Types, Diagnosis, Prevention and Cure or treatment.

Depending on the symptoms, there are different severities of dengue fever:

- Mild Dengue Fever : The symptoms of this fever will last upto seven days after the mosquito bites. Symptoms include joint pain, rash, high fever, headache, pain in eyes, vomiting and nausea.
- Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) : The symptoms of this fever during onset may be mild but gradually worsen after a number of days. The result could be death if not treated on time.
Symptoms include joint pain, rash, high fever, headache, pain in eyes, vomiting and nausea, bleeding from mouth/gums, nosebleeds, sensitive stomach, lower number of platelets in blood, internal bleeding, damaged lymph nodes and weak pulse.
- Dengue shock syndrome (DSS) : This is the worst form of dengue that may result in death. Mild dengue fever symptoms are also present in addition to intense stomach pain, disorientation, fast drop in blood pressure, heavy bleeding, regular vomiting blood vessels leaking fluid and death.

Diagnosis of Dengue

A doctor can diagnose dengue fever by performing a blood test. The test will show whether
the blood sample contains dengue virus or antibodies to the virus.

Precautions

- Wear long-sleeved clothing.
- Use insect repellent faithfully.
- Employ mosquito netting around sleep and lounging areas.
- Avoid going out at night and just before dawn.
- Coolers, flower pots, cans, ets should be emptied and cleaned on regular baisis.

Treatment for Dengue fever

There is no specific treatment option available for dengue.
- Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids.
- Keep up oral intake, especially of oral fluids and/or, oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration.
- Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. ibuprofen, diclofenac) and corticosteroids should be avoided.
- In cases where patients are unable to take fluids, Intravenous fluid supplementation (IV drip) is given.
- A blood transfusion may be recommended for patients with severe dehydration.
- It is important that you be treated by medical professionals, this way you can be properly monitored incase the symptoms worsen.

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Dengue – Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Risk factors.

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. Dengue fever can occur to people of all ages but it mostly affects children under the age of 15 years, but can occur in all age groups. It is also known as breakdown fever.

It is found mostly during and shortly after the rainy season in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Southeast Asia and China, India, Middle East, Caribbean and Central and South America, Australia and the South and Central Pacific. The dengue virus is transmitted to its host during probing and blood feeding.

Causes of Dengue Fever

- It is caused by one of four closely related virus serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4), of the genus Flavivirus.
- Increase in non-biodegradable plastic packaging and discarded tires.
- Increased jet air travel is helping people infected with dengue viruses to move easily from city to city.
- Lack of effective methods to control epidemics.
- Lack of effective mosquito control efforts.
- Poor Public health systems.
- Rapid growth or Overcrowding of cities in tropical countries.
- Urban decay, and substandard sanitation, allowing more mosquitoes to live closer to more people.

Signs and Symptoms of Dengue

After the mosquito carrying the virus has bitten a person the symptoms generally starts within 5 to 8 days. The acute phase of illness can last for 1 week followed by a 1 to 2 week period of recovery period.
- Mild fever, to incapacitating high fever upto 105 degrees.
- Rashes
- Headache
- Redness and pain in eyes
- Joint and muscle pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Change in taste
- Swollen lymph nodes

Who is at a high risk of having dengue?

- Anyone who is bitten by an infected mosquito can get Dengue fever.
- Risk factors for Dengue hemorrhagic fever include a person’s age and immune status.
- It also depends on type of infecting virus.