How To Prevent Dengue? Fever Symptoms, Severity, Infection Cycle
What Is Dengue?
Dengue fever is an acute viral disease caused by the Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. The term “dengue” is a Spanish attempt at the Swahili phrase “Ki denga pepo” meaning “cramp-like seizure” caused by an evil spirit.
It’s a disease of tropical and subtropical regions that occurs epidemically, very much similar to chikungunya.
This disease is also called “breakbone” fever because it sometimes causes severe joint & muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking, hence the name.
The illness is usually self-limiting and can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month.
How Dengue Spreads?
Dengue fever is noncontagious i.e., not an airborne infection (an infected person cannot spread the infection to other persons but can be a source of dengue virus for mosquitoes for about 6 days from the start of symptoms).
Dengue virus is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, a specific species of mosquito usually Aedes aegypti (but frequently Aedes albopictus) which bites during morning hours. The mosquito transmits disease by biting an infected person and then biting someone else, similar to the spread of chikungunya.
The incubation period (i.e., period from infection till the manifestation of symptoms) is 4 to 6 days, but may vary with a range of 3 to 14 days.
This disease is a vector borne infection i.e., mosquito is the vector (carrier) of the virus believed to cause this fever and the vector is common both in dengue and chikungunya.
Dengue Fever Symptoms
Symptoms of typical (classic) dengue usually start with fever within 5 to 6 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms are more or less similar to that of chikungunya and include:
- High-grade fever.
- Severe headache.
- Severe joint and muscle pain.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Skin rash – The rash may appear over most of the body 3 to 4 days after fever.
- Bleeding from the nose, gums or under the skin, causing purplish bruises.
Dengue Severity Classification
Four grades of severity are recognized: Grade I, fever and constitutional symptoms; grade II, grade I plus spontaneous bleeding (of skin, gums, or gastrointestinal tract); grade III, grade II plus agitation and circulatory failure; grade IV, profound shock.
Dengue Synonyms
Exanthesis arthrosia, Aden fever, bouquet fever, breakbone fever, dandy fever, date fever, dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, polka fever, solar fever, scarlatina rheumatica.
Dengue Diagnosis
Dengue fever can be diagnosed by performing blood test to detect antibodies against the virus.
How To Prevent Dengue?
Prevention is basically by:
- Avoiding mosquito bites (by using mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin (KBR3023) or oil of lemon eucalyptus)
- Eliminating pockets of stagnant water that serve as mosquito breeding sites at home, workplaces and their vicinity,
- Not storing water in open containers. Covering all water containers with lids.
- Preventing mosquito entry by keeping doors closed and windows screened.
- Wearing protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and shoes when outdoors.
- Using mosquito nets at home.
- Scrubbing and cleaning margins of containers used for water (to dislodge the eggs of Aedes aegypti)
- Covering overhead tank to prevent access to mosquitoes.
- Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day; therefore, special precautions should be taken during early morning hours before day break and in the late afternoon before dark.
- There is no commercially available dengue vaccine (for dengue Flavivirus).
Dengue Treatment And Prognosis
Prognosis for dengue fever is good, if the infectious disease is treated on time. However the mortality rate can be as high as 15%. Hence immediate medical attention should be sought in suspected cases with dengue fever.
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14 Responses to “How To Prevent Dengue? Fever Symptoms, Severity, Infection Cycle”
This is a very good summary of the dengue fever. In my country, Sri Lanka, dengue has become a menace. It kills 50 people average per month. Please focus your attention for the poor people (mostly young children) dying in our country due to this menace.
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Voluntary work needed to be done to spread dengue and chikungunya. Prevention measures with old retired people, housewives, students etc., as a part of their voluntary work. Self inspection is must to see water stagnation etc.
Colony cleanliness drive by RWA and MCD on war scale with public involvement and donations/contribution.
Penalty blacklisting and social pressure for the persons who do not follow the guidelines.
mono
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Can you tell me how to prevent mosquito diseases?
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I live in South America. I’m 64 and had dengue fever last May, 2011. Fortunately I survived, thank God. It was horrible! I live in an all bushy area, nearby a stream. Also, last year there was a great impact of trash from a popular restaurant (50 cents a complete meal, 1200 meals a day) installed next to the house. It was welcomed, but people exit and throw on the ground plastic cups with liquids all over the area. After the rains, you imagine the breeding of mosquitoes. I used to rearrange my trash bin outside at night with gloves, including the litters around it. Two potholes got created on the street in front of my house by heavier trucks including the night trash collectors, keeping it flooded after rains. I also kept the PC room partially open at night with fans. It was end of April, after hot summer and floods. One of these conditions kept the disease around. Two of my neighbors had dengue too. I can’t sleep at night, I keep the fans on all the time and it’s cool as winter. My family lived here for the last 40 years, but I am working to leave this place, unfortunately. The local mayor has stated that next summer it will only get the same or worse, many people died here from it recently. I had fever, weakness, painful joints, some nausea, and bed. Had to drink over a gallon of water per day and dipirona (pain killer) only. No aspirin as it may worsen to hemorrhage. My red cells dropped. If it gets to less than 50, one is in high danger. Seek immediate medical help in any case. Especially keep away from standing water, marshy areas, wet mud, all covered yourself and sprayed before outings. Thanks for the posts and sharing. God bless.
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Raj replied:
July 4th, 2011 at 7:00 am
Though hard to digest, the message is clear and simple. Keep your surroundings clean from water getting clogged and try to avoid bitten by mosquitoes. If you are helpless and things are not within your control, then quit the place!
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Well, this is a very scary virus, because the most affected of it is children. Like my child today, got a high fever. We are very scared what might happen. Inspite of the situation, we lack of finance. This is really my very crucial moment of my life. Fighting the life for my child. I hope god well help me with this problem. I’m really scared for my child. Don’t know what will happen but I promise no matter, what happens, I will fight and pray for my baby boy. I hope you guys pray for me too, not for me but for my child. Hope he can survive this. By the way, it’s his second day fever now. Really eager to go to hospital now. Eventually we lack money. Don’t know what to do. Really.
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Raj replied:
June 23rd, 2012 at 2:02 am
Take your child to any charity hospital immediately. There are umpteen other reasons to get a fever which only a doctor could diagnose and treat. If you stay back at home and pray, nothing can be done to save your child. Uncontrolled high fever could lead to complications like seizure etc. Seek help from friends, family, relatives, and neighbors.
May god bless your child. Our prayers for him.
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Hi All,
I was caught with dengue. A serious threat if you don’t admit yourself before the platelet count go below 40.
I don’t know how to prevent from getting it, but I know how to get rid of it once you get it. Make sure you do this:
1. The fever which you get is a different kind, you will know it at day #1 with knee pain, unusual tiredness and irritation.
2. If fever persists more than three days, then you need to get this done. It’s a must, please:
* Blood checkup for dengue, platelet count check.
* It should be around 1.6 ~ 2+
* If it’s not so much, don’t worry. Mine was 1.25
* Check if your fever is GONE on the fourth day. If yes, then be happy.
* Else, repeat the blood test and any count below 70 thousand with fever, run to HOSPITAL FOR ADMISSION. Don’t neglect
Continue blood test on the fourth day whether fever is there or not. If you observe platelet count dropping below 50k, you need to get admitted.
Even after the fever disappears platelets drop, that is the dengue effect.
NOTE:
No tablets for platelets to increase (blood transfusion is done only if the count drops below 20k). They will give you saline and other injections, vitamin B12 to increase or to make sure the growth of platelets is fine. Fever should disappear and platelet count should come up automatically. Hospital people will monitor this.
°°°°°°° If you admit yourself in hospital, then
1. Platelet count 30-50k without fever – cure in 2 days.
2. Platelet count <30 with fever – cure in 2 weeks.
Call me if you need any help. Vinay 9986499919. Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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Hi Friends, Thank you for sharing your valuable suggestions. Last time I fell ill on dengue fever that cured but took around 15 days’ admission in ICU. As far as my experience, I suggest if your platelet level decreases below 50,000, you must be admitted in hospital and will require special attention. If platelet level decreases below 20,000, your doctor will suggest you to transfuse platelets and as far as my experience, take single donor platelet. It will really help you to increase your platelet level high. Attention, attention. This is just my suggestion.
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I was the victim of dengue in the last month. My platelet count was 24K and I was advised to admit in the hospital and admitted there. My doctor transfused the platelets into me apart from antibiotics and the next day my count increased to 70K. But on that day my daughter became a victim of the dengue and her count fell down to 39K from 70K, later she was also given the same treatment. At last we both were discharged on the 4th day and now we are safe and healthy.
Thanks for the people who helped me at that time.
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Raj replied:
September 12th, 2012 at 7:06 am
Now we have a good news to improve platelet count very much naturally.
It could be a miracle cure for dengue. And the best part is you can make it at home.
The juice of the humble papaya leaf has been seen to arrest the destruction of platelets that has been the cause for so many deaths this dengue season. Ayurveda researchers have found that enzymes in the papaya leaf can fight a host of viral infections, not just dengue, and can help regenerate platelets and white
blood cells.Scores of patients have benefited from the papaya leaf juice, say doctors.
Papaya has always been known to be good for the digestive system. Due to its rich vitamin and mineral content, it is a health freak’s favorite. But its dengue -fighting properties have only recently been discovered.
Chymopapin and papin – enzymes in the papaya leaf – help revive platelet count, say experts.
“They have a role in regenerating healthy cells. So, it’s perhaps possible to treat platelet fall with them. We need more research in this area,” said a researcher at the National Institute for Ayurvedic Drug Development.
The juice has to be prepared from fresh papaya leaves, say the researchers. De-vein the leaves and grind the green, pulpy part into a paste. You can also use a mixer.
The paste is very bitter and you would probably have to mix it with fruit juice. Doctors recommend 20-25 ml (about four to five teaspoons), twice a day, for at least a week to get the best results.
Read more details and the benefits people had by papaya leaves juice from the source of the information: Home cure for dengue death sting, Times of India.
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This will help me very much in my project to gather information on dengue.
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Raj replied:
May 13th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Prevent the formation of mosquitoes thereby prevent the diseases by the mosquitoes. Quite simple, isn’t it?
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