What is Dengue Fever? Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

What is Dengue Fever?

Dengue fever is mosquito-borne viral disease which happens after biting the infected mosquito named “Aedes Aegypti”. Dengue virus is now spreading all over the world through dengue mosquito with larger and more frequent epidemics especially in cities. With the start of summer season, population of mosquitoes increases in the community. Dengue virus spreads only through infected mosquitoes and not from person to person. No doubt, Dengue fever is a bone-break fever.

Dengue fever is mosquito-borne viral disease. (Photo by WikiImages)

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

When anyone suspects Dengue fever, he (she) suffers from following signs and symptoms of dengue:-

Sudden start of high grade fever (103 – 105^oF). Don't mistake Dengue fever for Influenza.

Sever headache, mostly in forehead.

Feeling pain behind the eyes.

Severe aches and pains in muscles and joints.

Severe pain in the abdomen.

Skin rashes.

Nausea or vomiting.

Bleeding from skin appearing small red or purplish spots and from gums. This bleeding indicates Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

The fever lasts for 5 – 10 days.

👉 Rush to the hospital immediately if two main dengue symptoms i.e. Severe Pain in Abdomen and Persistent Vomiting appear.

Dengue Fever vs Malaria Fever

Malaria fever is quite different from Dengue fever which can be controlled by drugs but Dengue fever is uncontrollable even with drugs. Malaria mosquitoes breed in dirty water of fields, lake or sewerage pipes but Dengue mosquitoes breed in clean water stored in containers, earthenware jars, metal drums, barrels, buckets, and concrete reservoirs used at home for domestic water storage. Malaria mosquitoes bite people usually at night when they are asleep but Dengue mosquitoes bite people during daylight hours.

Dengue Fever Treatment

There is no specific antiviral drug effective treatment for Dengue virus, so it cannot be controlled by drugs. Although vaccine for Dengue fever has developed but it is still under experiments. Normally following measures are taken for treatment of Dengue fever:

Paracetamol is used to reduce the fever and relieve joints pain. But the other medicines like Aspirin and Brufen should be avoided as they can increase the risk of bleeding and affect the platelet function.

•    Patient must be given complete rest.
•    Drink enough fluids like juices and water, along with ORS.
•    Eat fresh and healthy diets. 

Dengue Fever Prevention

Presently, some countries like India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Burma are now endemic for Dengue virus. But this virus is also rampant in some other countries. The production of Dengue mosquitoes can be controlled by taking following actions:

Remove Dengue mosquitoes breeding sites by draining stagnant water from reservoirs at homes and orchard places.

Regularly inspect open water tanks and reservoirs, and insecticide spray for Dengue prevention be done, if required.

Broken pipes and sewerage lines must be repaired immediately to prevent Dengue Mosquitoes’ breeding.

Insecticide sprays must be done regularly on both internal and external walls of living rooms, especially luggage stores which are potential hidden places of Dengue Mosquitoes at daytime.

Avoid walking outside especially around dawn and dusk at places where mosquitoes are more prevalent.

While walking outside, apply mosquito repellent on bare parts of body like face, neck, wrist and hands; also avoid wearing of shorts and T-shirts.

Don’t use repellent on babies under the age of 3, use prams and cots with net for babies.

A person is likely to be bitten by Mosquito while asleep, so always use mosquito nets around the bed.

Remove all the pots of water placed inner or outside the home to prevent Dengue Mosquitoes’ breeding.