| What
is dengue?
|
| Dengue
is an acute flue-like fever caused by virus. It occurs in two forms:
|
| Dengue
fever (DF) |
| is
marked by an onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind
the eyes and pain in the muscles and joints.
|
| Dengue
hemorrhagic fever (DHF) |
| is a more severe form in which bleeding
and sometimes shock occurs. This can lead to death. It is most serious
in children. Symptoms of bleeding usually occur after 2-3 days of
fever. The high fever continues for 5-6 days (103-105oF or 39-40oC).
It comes down on the third or fourth day but rises again. The patient
feels a lot of discomfort and is very weak after the illness. |
Recognition of Dengue Fever |
- Sudden onset of high fever;
- Severe headache (mostly in the forehead);
- Pain behind the eyes which worsens with eye movement;
- Body aches and joints pains;
- Nausea or vomiting
|
Recognition of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
Symptoms similar to dengue fever, plus any one or combination of the
followings |
- Severe and continuous pain in the abdomen;
- Bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums or skin bruising;
- Frequent vomiting with or without blood;
- Black stools like coal tar;
- Excessive thirst (dry mouth);
- Pale, cold skin.
|
Diagnosis |
| Confirmation
of DF and DHF can be done by specific laboratory tests. However, specific
diagnosis is not required for treatment of patients with DF/DHF. |
Treatment |
| Patients
suspected of having DF or DHF must be examined by a doctor. Proper
and early treatment can relive the symptoms and prevent complications
and death. Aspirin and Brufen should be avoided in dengue fever, as
they are known to increase the bleeding tendency and may lead to serious
complication. Paracetamol can be given on medical advice. Severe abdominal
pain (black stools) bleeding on the skin or from the nose or gums
sweating and cold skin etc. are danger signs. If any one of them is
noticed take the patient to a hospital immediately. Give the patient
fluids to drink while transferring him/ her to the hospital. |
| |
| Information
on personal protection against dengue |
How does dengue spread? |
Dengue is spread through the bite of
an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. The mosquito gets the virus by
biting an infected person. The first symptoms of the disease occur
about 5-7 days after the infected bite.
There is no way to tell if a mosquito is carrying the dengue virus.
Therefore, people must protect themselves from all mosquito bites.
|
| Where
does this mosquito live? |
This mosquito rests indoors, in closets
and other dark places. Outside, it rests where it is cool and shaded.
The female mosquito lays her eggs in water containers in and around
homes, schools and other areas in towns or villages. These eggs become
adults in about 10 days.
|
| Where
does the mosquito breed? |
Dengue mosquitoes breed in stored, exposed,
water collection systems. The favored breeding places are: barrels,
drums, jars, pots, buckets, flower cases, plants saucers, tanks, discarded
bottles/tins, tires, water coolers, etc and a lot more places where
rainwater collects or is stored.
|
|
| Prevention
of Dengue |
| |
| All
Control efforts should be directed against the mosquitoes. It is important
to take control measures to eliminate the mosquitoes and their breeding
places. Efforts should be intensified before the transmission season
(during and after the rainy season) and during epidemics. |
1. Prevent Mosquito Bites |
- Dengue Mosquitoes Bite During the Daytime-Protect Yourself from
the Bite
- Wear full-sleeve clothes and long dresses to cover the limbs
- Use repellents-care should be taken in using repellents on young
children and elders.
- Use mosquito coils and electric vapor mats during the daytime
to prevent dengue.
- Use mosquito nets to protect babies, old people and others who
may rest during the day. The effectiveness of such nets can be
improved by treating them with permethrin (pyrethroid insecticide).
Curtains (cloth of bamboo) can also be treated with insecticide
and hung at windows or doorways, to repel or kill mosquitoes.
- Break the cycle of mosquito-human-mosquito infection. Mosquitoes
become infected when they bite people who are sick with dengue.
Mosquito nets and mosquito coils will effectively prevent more
mosquitoes from biting sick people and help stop the spread of
dengue.
|
2. Prevent the multiplication of mosquitoes
Mosquitoes which spread dengue live and breed in stagnant water in
and around houses. |
- Drain out the water from desert/window air coolers (when not
in use) tanks, barrels, drums, buckets etc.
- Remove all objects containing water (e.g. plant saucers, etc)
from the house.
- All stored water containers should be kept covered at all times.
- Collect and destroy discarded containers in which water collects
e.g. bottles, plastic bags, tins, tyres etc.
|
Source: www.denguebd-swasthyaloak.8k.com/basicinfo.html |
