Dengue is a mosquito borne viral disease. It is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of species Aedes aegypti to a lesser extent Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes are also vectors of chikungunya,yellow fever etc

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms range from mild to severe

MILD DENGUE FEVER

Symptoms can appear upto 7 days after being bitten by the mosquito that carries the virus

They include

• aching muscles and joints
• body rash that can disappear and then reappear
• high fever
• intense headache
• pain behind the eyes
• vomiting and feeling nauseous

Symptoms usually disappear after a week and mild dengue rarely involves serious or fatal complications

DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER

At first symptoms may be mild but they gradually worsen within a few days.s well as mild dengue symptoms there may be signs of internal bleeding.

• bleeding from mouth,gums or nose
• clammy skin
• damage to lymph and blood vessels
• internal bleeding which can lead to black vomit and feces or stools
• a lower number of platelets in the blood
• sensitive stomach
• small blood spots under the skin
• weak pulse

DENGUE SHOCK SYNDROME

It is a severe form of dengue.Apart from symptoms of mild dengue fever,the person may experience

• intense stomach pain
• disorientation
• sudden hypotension or a fast drop in blood pressure
• heavy bleeding
• regular vomiting
• blood vessels leaking fluid

TREATMENT

Dengue is a viral disease,so there is no specific treatment or cure.However intervention can help depending upon how severe the disease is

For milder forms ,treatment include

• Preventing dehydration-The person should drink clean water. Re hydration salts can also help replace fluids and minerals
• Pain killers such as Tylenol or paracetamol.They can help lower pain and fever

More severe form of dengue fever may need

• Intravenous(IV) fluid supplementation or drip , if the person cannot take fluid by mouth
• blood transfusion, for patients with severe dehydration

HIGH RISK AREAS

• Central and South America
• The Caribbean
• Tropical Asia,including Bangladesh,Indonesia and parts of China
• Northern Australia

PREVENTION

• Clothing :Reduce the amount of skin exposed by wearing long pants,long sleeved shirts and socks
• Use of mosquito repellents
• Use of mosquito traps and nets
• Door and window screens
• Timing:Try to avoid being outside at dawn,dusk and early morning
• Stagnant water-Cleaning stagnant water can help to reduce risk

Prepared by Dr Sajna Hamza