Sunday 28 October 2012

Dengue fever

SYMPTOMS of Dengue fever

Dengue in its initial stage is not deadly. However, ignoring symptoms or being infected again by a different serotype of virus or having another chronic disease can up complication risks and may result in dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

Symptoms usually last for 2–7 days, after an incubation period of 4–10 days. The characteristic symptoms of dengue include:

i) Sudden-onset of fever (40°C/ 104°F). Fever is usually biphasic in nature, breaking and then returning for one or two days
ii) Headache, pain behind the eyes
iii) Muscle and joint pains
iv) Swollen glands or skin rash that is similar to measles
v) Nausea, vomiting


When dengue advances into the critical stage it can result in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets in case of hemorrhagic fever, or dangerously low blood pressure in case of dengue shock syndrome. The critical stage can lead to:


i) Fluid accumulation in the chest and abdominal cavity due to increased capillary permeability and leakage, which leads to depletion of fluid from the circulation and decreased blood supply to vital organs
ii) Organ dysfunction and severe bleeding, typically from the gastrointestinal tract
iii) Respiratory distress, rapid breathing, fatigue, restlessness
iv) Severe abdominal pain
v) Persistent vomiting or blood in vomit

TREATMENT 

There is no known vaccine to treat dengue; prevention is the only way to keep away from the virus. Hospitals offer only supportive care in order to maintain the body fluid levels and platelet transfusion in case it drops to extremely low. (A normal platelet count in a healthy individual is between 150,000 and 450,000 per microlitre of blood).

PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Prevention is the only way to combat the mosquito-borne disease. Prevent measures include:

i) These mosquitoes breed in accumulated water and unhygienic conditions. The best way is to eliminate all the possible breeding grounds for the mosquitoes
ii) Regular cleaning, emptying and covering of water storage containers
iii) Using mosquito repellents, nets
iv) Wear long-sleeved clothes
v) Active monitoring and surveillance of vectors

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