Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is a life-threatening viral infection which is mosquito-borne and has become really common all over the world. Dengue fever becomes more critical because it grows very rapidly and there is no scope of mistakes. If not diagnosed at earlier stages the illness can lead to the death of the patient. The treatment becomes highly difficult if the illness reaches its peak. In recent years the patients of dengue fever are increasing very rapidly. There are certain types of Dengue infections among which Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is most critical.
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
Also known as DHF, this infection is the most critical form of dengue fever. Below we have mentioned the key features of DHF;
- The platelet count can reach to its lowest.
- Plasma lacks in the bloodstream due to the increased permeability of the blood vessels. Due to this, the plasma starts to leak out.
- Critical fever which can last up to seven days.
- Severe hemorrhage bleeding may occur.
After reading all the features you might be thinking that hemorrhage leaking is the most dangerous part of this infection but it is not. Lack of plasma is the biggest concern in DHF. The plasma leaks into the surrounding tissues. Due to this leakage, the plasma fluid accumulates at the most unexpected regions like lungs, abdomen and so on. Besides this, due to less fluid, the circulation of blood becomes extremely tough and this leads to Shock which is life-threatening. Shock may lead to organ failure as well as other metabolic problems as well.
When a person has reached a stage where he can get shocked at any time, the treatment is only possible in ICU whereas the blood pressure is closely monitored. If a patient has gone into shock then we use Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) to represent that condition.
Causes
Dengue fever is caused due to a similar virus that causes yellow fever but the transmission is done by Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes which are responsible for the transmission of Zika Virus as well. The transmission of the dengue virus is also carried out by Aedes Albopictus mosquitoes.
Urban or suburban areas are the regions where Aedes species is mostly found. This mosquito breed in certain places like flowerpots, stagnant water and so on. The disease usually spreads in cold climates as these mosquitoes don’t die even in subfreezing temperatures.
What are the Symptoms?
After the person is bitten by the infected mosquito he/she will start to experience symptoms within two weeks. The major symptoms that one may experience are as follows;
- High fever
- An extreme headache
- Pain in the region behind the eyes
- Muscle and joint pain which is most severe and that is why dengue fever is also known as “breakbone fever”.
- Fatigue is experienced
- Rashes start to develop which can also grow severe
- Critical menstrual bleeding is experienced
- Stools are bloody at sometimes
- Nose may bleed
- A sore throat and coughing are experienced
- Nausea
- Vomiting
These symptoms mostly last for up to seven days and after that either the patient gets better or worse. There may be other symptoms as well which are sub-features of dengue fever like the pain in arms and legs, lethargy, tenderness, lowering of blood pressure as well as lower heart rate. Most of the patients develop pink rashes on their body (especially facial region) which disappears after a period of time. These rashes are mostly itchy and you will experience irritations as well. If you are experiencing the following symptoms then it suggests that you are at risk of DHF;
- Extreme vomiting
- Severe abdominal pain
- Extreme fatigue
- Bleeding from gums, nose
- Fluid accumulation in certain parts
Risk Factors
Certain factors are responsible for putting you at great risk for developing dengue fever or a more severe form of the disease. They are:
- Living or traveling in tropical areas – tropical and subtropical areas are more prone to the virus that causes dengue fever. Southeast Asia, the western Pacific islands, Latin America and the Caribbean are high-risk areas. Living in such areas can increase your risk of contacting the disease.
- Prior infection with a dengue fever virus – if you’ve been previously infected with a dengue fever virus, you’re more prone to get severe symptoms.
Diagnosis
Doctors analyze the symptoms closely in order to diagnose dengue fever. Those who are affected by dengue fever mostly experience high fever, headache, fatigue, and eye pain. If you are experiencing all these symptoms at once then most probably you are suffering from dengue. Though these symptoms are not enough to completely diagnose dengue fever as these symptoms match other viral infections as well.
DENV Detect IgM Capture ELISA is a type of blood tests that are conducted by the specialists to diagnose dengue fever.
Treatment
There is no specific medication to treat dengue fever. It is a viral infection hence no specific antibiotic can be used to treat it. Though there are a number of antiviral medications available still none of them are appropriate for dengue fever. In dengue fever, with the intake of medications, only the symptoms can be relieved. Effective medications like Acetaminophen which is also known as Tylenol and codeine are given to relieve the symptoms like severe headaches and body pain.
A number of home remedies like rest and fluid intake are also recommended to ease the symptoms. Papaya leaf extracts are highly effective in treating dengue fever. Goat milk is also recommended as it increases the immunity.
Those who are hospitalized are given IV (Intravenous) fluid in order to prevent the shock. Though the plasma fluid keeps on leaking and accumulation don’t stop. A regular checkup is done to ensure that IV fluids are not causing any other problems.
Certain Tips
Prevention is always better than cure and we must try to minimize the production of mosquitoes by eliminating the risks. We must not let the water to stagnate as the Aedes mosquitoes are mostly found in stagnant water. If there is a stagnation of water then use the chemical in that to kill the larva of mosquito.
Try to wear full sleeve clothes whenever you go out during the cooler climates. Use mosquito repellents to keep yourself safe from mosquito bites. As soon as you start to experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms then visit a doctor at the earliest. Dengue fever is no doubt a very critical illness but it can be cured hence you must panic if the situation arises. Take proper rest at home as the symptoms will get worse if your body won’t rest. Treatment is easy and effective if it is done at earliest hence never ignore any symptoms of dengue fever.
*Disclaimer-None of the information provided here is the substitute for any diagnosis or treatment by your health professional. Seek the advice of your qualified health provider or your physician in case of any critical or major health issue do not rely on this information in case of any emergency.
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