Dengue And How Dengue Can Be Prevented?

By Author: sailaja post
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Dengue:
Dengue viral infection is caused by four different virus types (DENV-1 to 4) and is transmitted to humans through mosquito bite
Death rate is less than 1% when detected early and managed suitably
What are the symptoms of dengue infection?
Patients infected with dengue virus start showing symptoms typically in 4 to 5 days after the infection sets in
Mild Symptoms
• High fever ≥104°F
• Shaking chills
• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Muscle, joint and bone pains
• Nausea, Vomiting
• Swollen glands
• Rash
• Diarrhoea
Serious Symptoms with Bleeding Complications – Typical of Dengue Shock Syndrome
• Severe abdominal pain
• Sudden drop in blood pressure
• Cold and damp skin
• Weak but rapid pulse
• Excessive thirst / Dry mouth
• Reduce urine volume
• Blood in urine
• Severe skin bleeding with spots of blood on the skin (petechiae) and large patches of blood under the skin (ecchymoses)
• Persistent vomiting
• Respiratory distress ...
... with Rapid breathing
• Severe internal bleeding - Bleeding gums, nose and Blood in vomit
• Fatigue
• Restlessness
What is Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever or Dengue Shock Syndrome?
Irrespective of the Virus type (Dengue Virus Tpes-1 to 4), very few individuals develop severe form infection with bleeding symptoms known as Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever or Dengue Shock Syndrome. In these affected individuals Dengue virus grows exponentially than in others causing death of platelets that by virtue help in managing internal bleeding. Death rate is typically 2%-5%, but, when left untreated, it is as high as 20%.
How milder and serious Dengue fever is treated?
• Ibuprofen and Aspirin are Contraindicated
• Antipyretic - Fever Medicine - Paracetamol
• Diet – Plenty of fluids and simple foods for easy digestion
• Use of lukewarm water to bring the body temperature down – cloth, bathtub
• Antibiotics- For treating secondary bacterial infections
• Anti-Diarrhoeal and Anti-emetic medications
• Platelet or blood transfusion if extremely low platelet count with evident bleeding.
• Intravenous fluids for rehydration
• Oxygen therapy if oxygen levels are low
• Fluid Electrolyte therapy – For achieving fluid and electrolyte balance
• Having enough rest and sleep

How Dengue fever is diagnosed?
• Vitals- Heart Rate, Pulse, Skin Colour & Temperature, Blood Pressure, Peripheral pulse volume, capillary refill
• Bleeding episodes and observation – Skin & other sites
• Other Observations - Pleural Effusion, Ascites & Hemoconcentration
• Medical and travel history
• Complete Blood Profile
• Blood Culture
• Strep Test
• Imaging – X-Ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasonography
• Liver Function Tests
• Molecular Assays – PCR & Real Time PCR
• Immunoassays- ELISA

What are the complications of Dengue Fever?
• Encephalopathy and Encephalitis
• Cardiomyopathy
• GB wall thickening
• Ascites
• Pleural effusion
• Hepatosplenomegaly
• Kidney Damage
• Liver Damage
• Seizures
• Depression
• Pneumonia
• Inflammation of eye- Iritis
• Inflammation of testicles- Orchitis
• Inflammation of Ovaries-Oophoritis
• Death

How dengue can be prevented?
• Protecting oneself from mosquito bites that usually happen during early mornings or late evenings
o Wearing long sleeved clothing
o Usage of repellents and insecticides
o Usage of mosquito nets
o Air conditioning reduces the risk of mosquitoes coming into contact
• Getting vaccinated with FDA approved Dengue vaccine; Warning: may cause serious symptoms in some individuals

How is Dengue Fever Acquired? And what are Extrinsic and Intrinsic Incubation Periods?
When a female Aedes Aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquito bites an infected individual, it draws both blood and the Dengue virus together and gets incubated for 5 days for maturation inside the mosquito; this period is called Extrinsic Incubation Period (EIP). After 5 to 10 days of incubation when the mosquito bites another individual, the Dengue Virus is transmitted; interestingly mosquito wouldn’t be able to transmit the virus if it bites before 5 days. The time the virus spends inside human body for growth or multiplication while causing damage to the body is called Intrinsic Incubation Period (IIP).

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