Dengue fever is a serious, painful mosquito-borne disease that takes place in humid and tropical areas of the world. Each year, roughly 400 million dengue infections happen the world over, with around 96 million resulting in disease.
The fever is spread by the bite of an Aedes mosquito; luckily, though, the virus cannot be communicated directly from one individual to another.
Most cases happen in the following places of the world.
- The Indian subcontinent
- Southeast Asia
- Southern China
- Taiwan
- The Pacific Islands
- The Caribbean (except Cuba and the Cayman Islands)
- Mexico
- Africa
- Central and South America (except Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina)
Symptoms of Dengue Fever
Symptoms, which typically start four to six days following infection and last for up to 10 days, may include sudden, high fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, intense joint and muscle pain, vomiting and moderate bleeding.
Occasionally, symptoms are trifling and can be mistaken for those of the flu or another viral infection. Younger adults who have never had the infection earlier tend to have slighter cases than older children and adults.
Diagnosing Dengue Fever
Dengue infection can be diagnosed with a blood test to see if the virus or antibodies are present in the system.
Treatment for Dengue Fever
There is no specific medicine to treat dengue. If you have dengue fever, you should use pain killers and avoid aspirin, which could exacerbate bleeding. The infection may also be contained by taking a lot of rest, drinking plenty of fluids, and consulting your doctor. If you begin to feel worse in the first 24 hours after your fever subsides, you should get to a hospital instantly to be checked for complications.
Preventing Dengue Fever
The best way to avoid the ailment is to prevent bites by infected mosquitoes, not least if you are living in or traveling to a humid area. This involves shielding yourself and striving to keep the mosquito population down. In 2019, the FDA approved a vaccine called Dengvaxia to help prevent the disease from happening in people aged 9 to 16 who have already been infected by dengue. At present, however, there is no vaccine to stop the general population from contracting it.
To protect yourself, you ought to use mosquito repellents, even when you are indoors. When outdoors, put on long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks. Also ensure window and door screens are safe and free of holes. If sleeping zones are not partitioned or air conditioned, use mosquito nets. Last but not least, speak to your doctor if you have symptoms of dengue.