Dengue Fever – 5 ways to fight back
Travelling can be fun if you keep in mind the disease you have to take care of when you travel. Dengue is one of the deadly diseases you want to avoid. Dengue is caused by Aedes Aegypti mosquito, its principal vector spreading the disease. Dengue can manifest as a mild fever as well as in its hemorrhagic manifestation lead to shock and circulatory failure.
The vector spreading the disease breeds in stored water and bites mainly during daytime. The virus of dengue multiplies in the salivary gland of the mosquito. The movement of patient is mainly responsible for the spread of the disease as the aedes mosquito has short flight range. The dengue patients should have a separate ward in hospitals.
Clinical features-
This has two main forms by which it manifests itself ,namely,
1. Classical dengue fever-This form of dengue has a incubation period of 2-7 days. The fever has sudden onset with non specific constitutional symptoms. Fever can last for 2-7 days in dengue. Bad mouth taste, vomiting anorexia and headache. The pain is often unbearable in back, muscle and bones. Pain in forehead and behind the eyeballs are more characteristic of dengue. Vague abdominal pain can also be a symptom.
2. Dengue hemorrhagic fever-The mild fever of dengue may give rise to more intense form worsening the patient condition. It is manifested by high grade fever and hemorrhagic manifestation petechie and easy bruisability .The liver of patient can get enlarged with circulatory failure and small red dots may appear on the skin.
Treatment-There is no specific treatment. The management is essentially supportive. The salicylates like aspirin can lead to more bleeding so it’s better to avoid them. Fluid intake should be maintained to make up for body fluids lost in vomiting. Transfusion of platelets in plasma is given for severe bleeding.
Strategy for control-
1. Wear clothes that cover your whole body while travelling.Drink lot of water and keep your immunity at higher level.
2. Use mosquito repellent creams in endemic areas.
3. Use of mosquito nets is advised.
4. Break the transmission cycle of aedes aegypti by holding the mosquito at low level.
5. Community participation is needed for keeping the tanks and storage containers free from aedes.
About the Author
I am traveller by nature with a medical background .Here i talk about dengue and what to do when you travel .Know more about me and my adventure at www.rightgoal777xyz.blogspot.com
