Dengue Awareness Month
The mosquito-borne viral disease dengue has become one of the worst nightmares of the country. Also called 'break bone fever' or 'dandy fever', it is caused by a family of viruses and is transmitted via aide’s mosquitoes. Dengue begins suddenly, with more benign symptoms at first but which may get severe with time. The symptoms of the disease show in three to seven, and sometimes fifteen, days. They include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes and rashes. Recovery from dengue does not take over a week unless the condition gets severe. Mostly asymptomatic, if the condition gets critical, dengue can be life-threatening.
The fever of dengue can attack anyone but those with weaker immunity are more prone to the disease getting severe when they are attacked. As it is caused by any of the five serotypes of the aides aegypti, also called the yellow fever mosquito, dengue can happen multiple times to the same person. However, the person acquires immunity to the particular viral serotype which has already attacked him.
A more severe form of dengue is dengue haemorrhagic fever. The symptoms of dengue haemorrhagic fever include headache, rashes and fever besides bleeding in the body (haemorrhage), formation of red splotches on the skin, black coloured stool, bleeding in gums or nose and a weakened immunity. Dengue haemorrhagic fever is life threatening and can lead to dengue shock syndrome, which is as severe and fatal.
Causes
Dengue is caused by the bite of one of the many types of mosquitoes in the genus Aedes Aegypti, which has white stripes on their bodies and legs. It is caused when the mosquito has previously bitten a person who was infected. The pathway which is followed in case of the incidence of dengue is 'infected person to mosquito to another person'.
The spread of the dengue virus cannot happen directly from one person to another. It is not contagious and cannot spread through direct human contact. It needs an aedes mosquito for the virus to be transferred.
Symptoms
The incubation period of dengue, that is, the time it takes for symptoms to show after the bite of a mosquito carrying virus, can be anywhere between three and fifteen days. The symptoms may show in parts as they begin with more benign symptoms such as headache, chills, fever, pain in eyes, loss of appetite and backache. Pain in joints also occurs in the first hours of the occurrence of dengue. One can experience fever of up to 104 degree Fahrenheit, low heart rate along with hypotension that is low blood pressure. Besides these, there could be reddening of eyes, development of pink rashes on the face which may disappear and inflammation in lymph nodes and groin.
The above symptoms appear in the first phase of dengue, which ideally last for up to four days. The second phase will begin with a drop in body temperature and sweating. But before this, you may experience that your body temperature has come down to normal and you would feel relatively better, but this will not last for more than a day and would lead you to the second phase of dengue symptoms. The third phase may see a rapid rise in temperature again, with rashes developing all over your body but your face.
Doctors say that more than half people infected with the virus remain asymptomatic, that is, they do not show any symptoms.
If you are suspecting dengue, you can be on a lookout for the following signs; however they may or may not show:
- High fever
- Intense sweating
- Pain in joints
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss in appetite
- Drop in blood pressure
- Skin rash
- Swelling in hands and soles of feet
If the situation worsens, there can be a drop in the level of blood platelets, blood plasma leakage or the blood pressure can drop down to a critically low point which may lead a circulatory collapse (shock).
Prevention
As the dengue virus is mostly active during daylight hours, particularly early morning and late afternoon, special precautions should be taken during these times of the day. Tropical and sub-tropical areas are more prone to the disease, hence travelling from and to these regions should be avoided.
The following precautions can be adhered to in order to prevent the incidence of dengue:
- Ensure improved water storage
- Ensure proper waste disposal
- Strictly avoid water stagnancy
- Use mosquito repellents containing 10 per cent DEET but ensure that you read the warning label on them carefully
- Avoid dark colored clothing as mosquitoes are attracted to darker shades
- Wear light colored, full-sleeved clothes
- Opt for natural mosquito repellents like marigold and lemon grass
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/dengue-causes-symptoms-and-prevention/articleshow/54408781.cms
