Dengue is caused by
four different strains of virus
What is dengue fever?
Dengue is a
mosquito-borne seasonal viral infection, caused by four closely related viruses
(DENV 1-4). It gets transmitted by the bite of the female mosquito of genus
Aedes. These domestic mosquitoes, thriving around human habitations, typically
bite in daylight hours. They are easily recognised by their peculiar white
spotted body and legs. In India, outbreak of the disease usually occurs in the
post monsoon season when the mosquito population reaches its peak. More severe
infection, known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), caused by the same virus,
can be fatal if not detected at early stage.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
What are the symptoms of the disease?
The symptoms become
visible four to six days after the virus's entry in the patient's body. The
main symptoms of dengue are high fever (103-105 degrees F), severe headache,
severe pain behind the eyes, joint pain, muscle and bone pain, rash, and mild
bleeding from nose or gums. Because of severe joint pain, dengue is also
known as break bone fever. While the initial symptoms are the similar to
dengue, in DHF small purplish spots appear on the skin, which is caused by
blood leaking out of the vessels. This is caused by the decrease in platelets.
The smallest blood vessels (capillaries) become excessively permeable (leaky)
allowing the fluid component to escape from the blood vessels to organs of the
body. The emergence of large bruised areas on the patient's body is also a
common symptom. Sometimes the bleeding in the stomach may cause vomiting of
blood due to severe haemorrhage. This may lead to the patient's death.
What is the treatment
for dengue?
Like most viral
diseases there is no specific cure for dengue. Antibiotics do not help and
paracetamol is the drug of choice. Other medicines such as Aspirin and Brufen
or any medicine that can decrease the platelet count should be avoided since
they can increase the risk of bleeding. Most patients with dengue fever
can be treated at home. It is advised to take rest, drink plenty of fluids and
eat nutritious diet and stay in constant touch with a physician. DHF, on the
other hand requires hospitalization. It is possible to get dengue more than
once as the disease is caused by four different strains of virus. Being
affected by one strain insures no protection against the others.
What can be done to reduce the risk of acquiring dengue?
Infected humans are
the main carriers and multipliers of the virus. They are the main virus source
for the mosquitoes. The viruses are transmitted from human to human through the
bites of the female Aedes mosquitoes, which acquires it while feeding on the
blood of an infected person. Hence the only way to prevent the outbreak of the
disease is community based mosquito control aimed at eliminating all the places
where the mosquito could lay eggs. The mosquito primarily breeds in man-made
contained containers like earthenware jars, metal drums and concrete cisterns,
discarded plastic food containers and other items that collect rainwater. Best
way to prevent the disease is by not allowing the mosquito to breed and using
repellents for decreasing the risk of being bitten.
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