What You Should Know and Do About Dengue Fever

11/12/2024

What is Dengue Fever, and how Common is it?

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, comes as a viral infection that is commonly diagnosed in people living in tropical and subtropical regions. This medical condition is caused by any one of four directly associated with dengue viruses.  It is a prevalent condition across the world and results in thousands of cases every year. You can develop this viral infection through the bite of an Aedes mosquito with a dengue virus.

When a mosquito bites someone carrying the dengue virus, the mosquito becomes infected. This ailment can’t be passed on directly from one infected person to another.

The highest number of cases are seen in tropical regions such as southeast Asia, Latin America, the western Pacific islands, and Africa. On a global level, this mosquito-borne disease affects around 400 million people every year, and of all, 100 million cases get mildly to severely ill due to dengue fever. In the US, cases of dengue fever are usually reported by people who get this viral infection while traveling to different nations. As per the latest reports, this disease is extending to other areas as well, such as the southern part of the United States and local outbreaks in Europe.

The mild dengue might consist of high fever and symptoms like flu. On the other hand, severe dengue fever can result in the following symptoms: bleeding, sudden drop in blood pressure, and even death.

At present, this medical condition is treatable with pain medicines only, and there is no certain and precise treatment available to tackle it. 

What are the common symptoms associated with dengue infection? 

Dengue fever virus comes as a mosquito-borne disease caused by any of the four strongly linked to dengue viruses named DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4. You may have dengue fever when you come in contact with the Aedes mosquito through a bite infected with the dengue virus. Many people with dengue fever experience mild to no symptoms and even get better within a week or so. Dengue can be fatal in rare cases.

The symptoms of this medical condition start to happen after 4 to 10 days after getting bitten by an infected mosquito and dwell only for a few days.  The following are the common dengue fever symptoms: 

• High fever (40°C/104°F)

• Vomiting

• Swollen glands

• Rash. 

• Severe headache

• Nausea

• Pain behind the eyes

• Muscle and joint pains

If you are someone who is infected by dengue for the second time, you pose the risk of developing severe dengue. The symptoms of severe dengue develop once the fever has vanished. The symptoms of severe dengue are as follows:

• Severe abdominal pain

• Persistent vomiting

• Rapid breathing

• Bleeding gums or nose 

• Fatigue

• Restlessness

• Blood in vomit or stool

• Being very thirsty

• Pale and cold skin

• Feeling weak.

If you are experiencing such symptoms, you should opt for immediate medical attention.  Severe dengue happens when an individual's blood vessels get leaky and damaged. This, as a result, can lead to unwanted consequences such as internal bleeding, shock, organ damage, and death.

In addition to the above, the severe condition of dengue fever is also referred to as dengue hemorrhagic fever.

What are the causes of dengue? 

As mentioned above, this viral infection is caused by any of four types of dengue viruses. You can't develop dengue by sitting, eating, and being around the infected individual. However, it is transmitted through mosquito bites. When an infected mosquito bites you, your chances of getting dengue fever increase. Two types of mosquitoes commonly found around human residences are frequently responsible for spreading dengue fever.

The mosquito gets easily infected with the dengue virus when it bites someone already infected. In addition, when the same mosquito bites other people, the virus enters their bloodstream and leads to an infection.

Once you recover from the infection, you develop long-term immunity against the types of virus that infected you but not against the other three. The risk of coming across severe dengue increases when you are infected by a dengue fever again and again. 

What are the ways to Prevent and Control Dengue Fever?

The likelihood of getting infected with dengue is higher during the day as the mosquitoes that pass on the virus are highly active during the sunlight. However, one can reduce the risk of coming across dengue fever by safeguarding them by: 

• Wearing clothes that cover most of their skin

• Using a mosquito net while sleeping during the day

• Applying mosquito repellents

• Utilizing vaporizers and coils

Follow the following steps in order to prevent mosquito breeding:

• Discarding or throwing away the solid waste properly and destroying human-made structures such as empty cans, old tires, and flower pots that can hold water

• Environmental management and modification to block mosquito access to egg-laying sites

• Covering, changing, or cleaning water storage containers once a week

• Using insecticide on water storage containers outside

If you get infected with dengue fever, please abide by the directions mentioned below:

• Consume plenty of fluids

• Take enough rest

• For pain, use acetaminophen

• Dodge the usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen

The Takeaway:

Dengue is the most common health condition in tropical and subtropical regions and can have mild to severe symptoms. Mild cases of dengue fever can be handled at home only by drinking fluids, getting enough rest, and taking painkillers. On the other hand, severe cases of this ailment require immediate medical attention. It is a mosquito-borne disease that can happen to anyone, regardless of age or gender. The chances of stumbling upon this condition can be minimized by wearing full-sleeved clothes, using mosquito repellents, and cleaning the container that can hold water. At present, no specific dengue fever treatment is available.

FAQs

1. How do you deal with dengue fever? 

There are plenty of ways that can help you deal with dengue fever, such as: 

• Getting enough rest

• Drinking plenty of liquids

• Taking acetaminophen for pain

• Avoiding the intake of NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen

2. How do you get rid of the dengue virus in your body?

At present, there is no specific treatment available to deal with dengue fever. If you are diagnosed with dengue, please drink enough fluids and take rest. If you come across the symptoms of dehydration or other below-listed signs, get in touch with your doctor immediately:

• Few or no tears

• Dry mouth or lips

• Cold or clammy extremities

• Decreased urination

3. How serious is dengue fever?

Once the dengue is severe,  it can lead to internal bleeding and organ damage. In addition to this, blood pressure can drop to life-threatening levels, leading to shocks. In certain cases, severe dengue can even result in death.

4. How long does it take to recover from dengue fever?

Most people with dengue have mild to no symptoms at all. The symptoms of it will fade out within a week or so.  In rare cases, dengue fever may turn severe and can result in death. The symptoms usually appear within 4 to 10 days after getting infected and may dwell for up to 7 days.