General Health
Dengue Fever - Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
In the year 2023, there has been a significant variation in the geographic heterogeneity of Dengue fever within and among countries in which it is endemic. In around 80 countries/territories including five WHO regions, there have been more than five million Dengue infections and over 5,000 Dengue-related fatalities recorded since the start of 2023.
This is reported as the highest level so far due to continuous transmission and an unanticipated rise in Dengue cases. Keep reading to know more about Dengue fever along with its symptoms, causes, and treatment as well.
What is Dengue Fever?
The mosquito-borne virus Dengue fever is a major public health concern in many parts of the world's tropics and subtropics. The symptoms, causes, and treatment of Dengue fever must be understood by anybody living in or going to locations where it is prevalent since the number of cases is on the rise.
Dengue Fever Symptoms
The following are a few Dengue fever virus symptoms, from minor to severe that can appear suddenly in patients with Dengue fever:
- High Fever: An unexpected increase in core body temperature is a very prevalent Dengue fever symptom. If you feel a sudden increase in your body temperature, then it is time for you to get an online doctor consultation with a registered physician.
- Severe Headache: One of the common Dengue fever symptoms is severe headache, sometimes called a frontal headache. This headache is something different from the common headache that we get often.
- Eye Irritation: Pain in the eyes, especially while moving them, is a common symptom of Dengue fever.
- Physical Discomfort: The widespread complaints of aching muscles and joints have given Dengue a nickname: "breakbone fever."
- Weakness and Fatigue: Experiencing fatigue and weakness due to Dengue might impact a person's ability to go about their everyday life.
- Itchy Skin: Some people get a rash that shows up a few days after their fever starts.
- Bleeding: Mild bleeding, such as that occurs in the nose or gums, can happen in rare instances.
Primary Causes of Dengue Fever:
- Infected female Aedes mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti, bite people and spread the Dengue virus, which causes Dengue fever.
- Stagnant water in containers such as flowerpots, water storage containers, and discarded tires provides ideal hatching grounds for these mosquitoes, which are common in metropolitan settings.
- Within the Flaviviridae family, there are four distinct serotypes of the Dengue virus, DEN-1 through DEN-4. A person can develop a lifetime immunity to a single variant after being infected with the virus, but they will not be protected from the other three.
- Extreme Dengue, sometimes called Dengue hemorrhagic fever or Dengue shock syndrome, is more likely to occur after many infections from different variants of the virus.
Treatment for Dengue Fever
Currently, Dengue infection does not have a particular treatment. Rest and hydration intake are crucial if Dengue fever is diagnosed. There is now just one Dengue vaccine, and it is only for those who have had Dengue fever before, between the ages of 9 and 45. This vaccination requires three doses given throughout the year. Patients in this category will exhibit seropositivity, meaning that a positive result indicates the existence of a Dengue virus in their blood.
Prevention Of Dengue Fever
- To avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, use a repellent cream that has DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. It should be reapplied according to the instructions.
- During the early morning and late afternoon, when mosquitoes are most active, it is important to wear protective clothing such as long pants, socks, shoes, and sleeves to reduce skin exposure.
- To completely isolate yourself from mosquitoes, install screens on doors and windows and sleep behind mosquito netting.
- The dengue-carrying mosquito breeds in standing water, therefore getting rid of it is a top priority. Keep flowerpots, buckets, and tires covered, clean, or emptied of water on a regular basis.
- Initiate and take part in community-wide initiatives to clean up areas where mosquitoes could lay their eggs. Proper trash disposal and the upkeep of clean public places are part of this.
- Know how often dengue fever is in your neighborhood and be educated about it. Keep yourself apprised of any alerts or pronouncements about public health. This is not just for Dengue for any fever like Typhoid, Viral, etc it is crucial to stay more cautious.
How to get a Doctor Consultation for Dengue Fever?
It is suggested that you take an immediate online doctor consultation or visit your general physician if you have any of the Dengue symptoms as this fever could cause serious issues to your health and well-being.
Millions of individuals throughout the world are still impacted by Dengue disease every year. To lessen the impact of this viral illness, people must be more informed about the symptoms, causes, and ways to prevent them. There is a guarantee for a future with reduced Dengue-related morbidity and death as research related to Dengue prevention and treatment continues to yield improvements.
Ref: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17753-dengue-fever
https://www.pacehospital.com/dengue-fever-causes-symptoms-and-treatments
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There is no specific antiviral treatment for Dengue Fever. Supportive care is provided to manage symptoms, such as pain relievers, fluids to prevent dehydration and rest. In severe cases, taking the help of doctors from the best healthcare app or proper hospitalization may be necessary.
Yes, it is possible to get any fever multiple times, and the same happens for Dengue as there are four different serotypes of the virus. Recovering from one serotype does not provide immunity to the others, and subsequent infections may be more severe.
Yes, there are vaccines approved for Dengue fever in some countries. However, these vaccines are not universally available, and their use is often recommended for individuals with a prior history of Dengue fever. It's important to consult with healthcare professionals for personalized advice on vaccination.