Bare facts of Dengue fever

Dengue fever is a flu-like viral disease, which spreads by a bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. Whereas, Dengue hemorrhagic is a severe, often fatal complication of dengue fever. The disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of this Aedes mosquito.

The aedes mosquito often breeds in discarded tires, flower pots, old oil drums, water storage containers and drainages. The most important thing to remember is this mosquito bites during the day.

After an average of 4-6 days the symptoms appear following the infected mosquito bite. An infected person cannot spread the infection. This disease transmits when the mosquito bites an infected person and then bites a healthy person.

Lets learn the symptoms of Dengue fever:

- Sudden onset of fever
- Severe headache, pain behind the eyes
- Muscle and Joint pain popularly called as Breakbone fever.
- A bright red rash usually appears 3-4 days after the onset of fever. It's seen first on the lower-limbs and chest. It may slowly spread to other parts of the body.
- Nausea, Vomiting and loss of appetite are common
- May have Gastritis and some abdominal pain

The illness lasts up to 10 days with a slight rise in temperature in the trailing end. The recovery takes a month or so depending on the sustenance of the patient.

If the dengue fever progresses, it may develop into Dengue Hemorrhagic. In this case, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body. The blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about 5 per cent of cases, mostly among children and young adults.

Diagnosis

Dengue is diagnosed by blood tests.

Treatment

- Patient is urged to keep up oral intake, especially fluids
- If the patient can't maintain the oral intake then intravenous fluid is used to avoid dehydration
- Complete bed rest
- In case of Dengue Hemorrhagic, blood transfusion is necessary to control bleeding

Prevention

There is no vaccine to prevent Dengue. So, please be forewarned.

- Please keep your surroundings clean
- Use mosquito repellents in house even in the day
- In case of an outbreak, wear long sleeved shirts and pants
- Use bed-nets if sleeping area is not screened or air-conditioned
- Spray insecticides wherever you find collected water and in drainages

Haven't we all heard that prevention is better than cure! Keep safe!