Dengue Fever Symptoms and Treatment

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As regular practice, lets talk about one of the disease. Today, I though I will share my observations and thoughts on Dengue Fever.

Dengue fever is a disease spread by mosquitoes that causes flu-like symptoms. Dengue is highly infectious and rapidly spreading across the globe.

There's a lot of talk about mosquitoes and malaria. Mosquitoes don't carry the disease, and malaria isn't transmitted by mosquitoes. So what is it, then?

Let's understand little bit of history:-

The main mosquito-borne diseases are West Nile virus and dengue fever, also known as "break-bone fever [because of the intense, muscle-shaking pain associated with it]." 

Dengue is considered as a viral disease, which is spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, causes flu-like symptoms that can last for up to a week. 

It can be very serious in people who are already weak from illness or those with chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes.

Mosquitoes that carry dengue don't establish permanent breeding populations in one particular location.

As we all humans have the same genetic code, regardless of what country they are from. The same applies to mosquitoes. So if a particular strain of mosquito can transmit dengue, any human who has been bitten by it will get sick as well.

They're only here for a few weeks during their lifecycles — during the time they need to bite people to get them infected — A mosquito bite can infect you with the virus in just eight hours, so being bitten is the main risk factor for getting dengue fever.

As long as you're not traveling overseas or staying away from crowded places for more than 2 weeks at a time, you shouldn't worry too much about contracting dengue fever.

Symptoms:

As this disease is serious and potentially life-threatening, but it's preventable with proper precautions and knowledge.

Major symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pains, eye pain, nausea and vomiting. It's also known as break-bone fever or 'breakbone fever' because of its painful joints.

Precaution:

You can protect yourself against getting dengue fever by wearing long sleeves and avoiding areas where mosquitoes are breeding — including around drains, puddles and garbage cans. 

Don't try to kill mosquitoes yourself — doing so only spreads the virus in your neighbourhood. Instead, use an insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), which works by causing your skin to produce a natural chemical called citronella that mosquitoes find unpleasant .

Treatment:

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever.The most important thing to remember about dengue fever is that it's not deadly. 

It's a preventable disease and the best way to avoid it is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Dengue can be treated with medication, but mosquito bites are the cause of most cases.

You can recover from the illness in a few days with rest and fluids such as water or orange juice.

Control Measures: Here are some tips to help you keep mosquitoes out

• There are several ways to tackle dengue, but one of the most low-cost yet practical is by eliminating mosquitoes at source [breeding grounds]. The best way to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and spreading their infection is by killing them with insecticides.

• Mosquitoes are most active during the day and this is when they spread the disease. Avoid mosquito breeding grounds like thick vegetation and stagnant water as well as places with standing water, such as puddles, flooded basements or tires left out in the sun.

• Use an insect repellent containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide). It comes in lotion, spray and cream form. Spray DEET on your skin and clothes at least 30 minutes before going outdoors. Use it on exposed skin and just put it on your clothing if you're going somewhere you will be exposed to mosquitoes later in the day

• Change up your routine as much as possible — go outside for brief walks during daylight hours and stay indoors after dusk when mosquitoes are ready to taste the human blood !!

Final Thoughts:

In 2022, and as of 7 February, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported 40 154 dengue cases, including 7 873 confirmed cases and 9 associated deaths, in the Americas. The five countries reporting most cases are: Brazil ( 29 886), Peru (4 247), Colombia (3 182), Mexico (1 065), and Paraguay (967).

While there's no vaccination or cure for dengue fever, early diagnosis, prompt treatment and a thorough cleaning of the environment can help reduce the chance of transmission to humans.

Please share your tips, comments, suggestions with us, as always stay fit and healthy :-)