Health Alert : Dengue Fever

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Kailash Shastri

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Oct 6, 2006, 6:00:17 AM10/6/06

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Alarmed by the increase in dengue fever cases in Northern India, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has called a meeting of the affected states on October 5 but said there is no need for panic as it is not an epidemic. To keep you updated on the disease, attached below are the causes, symptoms diagnosis treatment and prevention steps.

CAUSE: Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four related dengue viruses. Dengue fever is found mostly during and shortly after the rainy season in tropical and subtropical areas. One can get dengue virus infections from the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite infected humans, and later transmit infection to other people they bite. Dengue is not contagious from person to person.

SYMPTOMS: Symptoms of typical uncomplicated dengue usually start with fever within 5 to 6 days after you have been bitten by an infected mosquito and include

High fever, up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit
Severe headache
Retro-orbital (behind the eye) pain
Severe joint and muscle pain
Nausea and vomiting
Rash

The rash may appear over most of your body 3 to 4 days after the fever begins. You may get a second rash later in the disease.

Symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever include all of the symptoms of classic dengue plus

Marked damage to blood and lymph vessels
Bleeding from the nose, gums, or under the skin, causing purplish bruises

This form of dengue disease can cause death.

DIAGNOSIS: Your health care provider can diagnose dengue fever by doing two blood tests, 2 to 3 weeks apart. The tests can show whether a sample of your blood contains antibodies to the virus. In epidemics, a health care provider often can diagnose dengue by typical signs and symptoms.

TREATMENT: There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, and like most people you will recover completely within 2 weeks. To help with recovery, health care experts recommend

Getting plenty of bed rest
Drinking lots of fluids
Taking medicine to reduce fever
People with dengue fever should not take aspirin. Acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain-reducing medicines are safe for most people.
For severe dengue symptoms, including shock and coma, early and aggressive emergency treatment with fluid and electrolyte replacement can be lifesaving.

PREVENTION: The best way to prevent dengue fever is to take special precautions to avoid contact with mosquitoes.

Dengue mosquito, bite during the daytime. Highest biting intensity is about 2 hours after sunrise and before sunset.
Wear full sleeves clothes and long dresses to cover as much of one’s body as possible.
Use repellents - be careful in using them on young children and old people.
Use mosquito coils and electric vapor mats during the daytime as well as night to prevent dengue.
Use mosquito nets to protect children, old people and others who may rest during the day.
Use a mosquito repellant, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
Dress in protective clothing-long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes
Keeping unscreened windows and doors closed
Staying away from areas where mosquitoes breed, such as standing water in flower pots, containers, birdbaths, discarded tires, etc.

Attached along with are the FAQ’s about the disease.

Thanks & Regards,

Nishant Sharma
Consultant - Research Practice

Elixir Web Solutions | Search, Staffing and Consulting
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