Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.For mild dengue fever, it will cause high fever and flu-like symptoms. Meanwhile, for severe dengue, it can cause serious bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and even death.
Millions of cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever infection occur worldwide each year.Dengue fever is most common in Southeast Asia,the western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa. But now the disease has spread to new areas, including localized outbreaks in Europe and the southern United States.
Now researchers are trying to make a dengue fever vaccine. For now, in areas where dengue fever is common, the best way to prevent infection is to avoid mosquito bites and take the necessary steps to reduce the mosquito population.
Dengue fever is caused by one of four types of dengue virus. You cannot get this disease because you are around infected people because this disease is transmitted through mosquito bites. Two mosquitoes that can transmit this virus are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
The two types of mosquitoes that most often transmit the dengue virus are commonly found both in and around settlements.
When a mosquito bites a person infected with the dengue virus, the virus enters the mosquito. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another person, the virus enters that person's bloodstream and causes infection
After a person recovers from this disease, they will have long-term immunity against the type of virus that infected them, but not against the other three types of dengue virus.
This means you could be infected again in the future by any of the other three strains. Your risk of getting this disease at a severe level will increase if you get dengue fever for the second, third or fourth time.
Many people do not experience signs or symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever infection. When symptoms do occur,they are mistaken for another illness, such as the flu. Usually symptoms will appear from four to 10 days after you are bitten by a mosquito.
This disease can cause a high fever of up to 40 degrees Celsius. In addition, some other symptoms,including:
Headache.
- Muscle, bone or joint pain.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Pain behind the eye
- Swollen glands.
- Rash.
Most people recover within a week or so. In some cases, the symptoms get worse and can be life-threatening. This is called severe dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.
Severe dengue occurs when blood vessels become damaged and leak. This condition will cause the number of clot-forming cells(thrombocytes) in the bloodstream to decrease. This can lead to shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and even death.
The warning signs of dengue fever are severe and constitute an emergency and can develop quickly. Warning signs usually begin the first day or two after the fever goes away, including:
- Severe stomach ache.
- Constant vomiting.
- Bleeding from the gums or nose.
- Blood in urine, stool, or vomit.
- Bleeding under the skin, which looks like a bruise.
- Difficult or rapid breathing.
- Fatigue.
- Irritability or restlessness.
Diagnosing the disease can be difficult because its signs and symptoms can easily be confused with those of other diseases, such as chikungunya, Zika virus, malaria and typhoid fever. The doctor will likely ask about medical history and travel. The doctor will also take a blood sample to be tested in the laboratory as evidence of infection with one of the dengue viruses.
Severe dengue fever can cause several complications, such as internal bleeding and organ damage. Blood pressure can also drop to dangerous levels to cause shock. In some cases, severe dengue fever can also cause death.
Women who catch this disease during pregnancy can pass the virus to the baby during delivery. In addition, babies of mothers who contracted the disease during pregnancy have a higher risk of premature delivery, low birth weight, or fetal distress.
Unfortunately there is no specific treatment for this disease. While recovering, you should drink lots of fluids. Call your doctor right away if you have the following signs and symptoms of dehydration:
- Reduced urination.
- Little or no tears.
- Dry mouth or lips.
- Lethargy or confusion.
cold or clammy extremities :
Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen can help reduce muscle aches and fever. However, if you have this disease, you should avoid other types of pain relievers, including aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. The reason is, this pain reliever can increase the risk of bleeding complications.
If you have severe dengue fever, you will need:
- Supportive care in hospital.
- Intravenous (IV).
- fluid and electrolyte replacement.
- Blood pressure monitoring.
- Blood transfusion to replace blood loss.
The World Health Organization emphasizes that a vaccine by itself is not an effective tool for reducing dengue fever in areas where the disease is common. Prevention of mosquito bites and mosquito population control are still the main methods of preventing the spread of dengue fever.
If you live or travel to an area that is frequently affected by this disease, the following tips can help reduce the risk of mosquito bites:
Use air conditioning or mosquito nets that are installed to ventilate and bed. Also, the mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus are most active from dawn to dusk, but they can also bite at night. Wear protective clothing when you go to mosquito infested areas, wear long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes.
Use insect repellents such as permethrin as they can be applied to clothing, shoes, camping gear and mosquito nets. You can also buy clothing made with permethrin already in it. For skin, use a repellent that contains at least a 10 percent concentration of DEET.
Reducing mosquito habitat by covering stagnant water. Mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus usually live in and around homes, breeding in stagnant water which can collect on used car tires. You can help reduce the mosquito population by eliminating the habitats where they lay their eggs.
At least once a week, empty and clean containers that catch stagnant water, such as planting containers, animal plates, and flower vases. Keep the water bowl closed between cleanings.
