Dengue Fever – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Among the various diseases, Dengue fever is one that takes most of the lives every year. It is a mosquito-borne viral disease occurring in tropical and subtropical areas. It is caused by four different viruses and spread by Aedes mosquitoes.

The various symptoms of this fever are: dengue shock syndrome (DSS), dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), severe abdominal pain, Persistent vomiting, bleeding from your gums or nose, blood in your urine, stools or vomit, bleeding under the skin, which might look like bruising, difficult or rapid breathing, cold or clammy skin, fatigue, and irritability or restlessness. These symptoms become noticeable in 4 to 7 days after the mosquito bite and typically last for almost 3 to 10 days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 400 million people are infected every year. The various risk factors that put you at an increased risk of acquiring dengue are: (a) Living or traveling in tropical areas; (b) Prior infection with a dengue fever virus. Severe dengue can damage the lungs, liver or heart. Blood pressure can drop to dangerous levels, causing shock and, in some cases, death. As such there is no specific treatment or cure for dengue. For milder forms of dengue, treatment includes: (i) Preventing dehydration; (ii) Use of painkillers, such as Tylenol or paracetamol. Usually, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, are not advised. It is because that can increase the risk of internal bleeding. Severe dengue requires treatment such as: intravenous (IV) fluid supplementation, or drip, if the person cannot take fluids by mouth; and blood transfusion, for patients with severe dehydration. Easy tips that can help in preventing dengue are as follows:

·  Stay in air-conditioned or well-screened housing
·  Wear protective clothing
·  Use mosquito repellent
·  Reduce mosquito habitat

By: Anuja Arora

Content: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179471.php