Educating individuals to take responsibility for their environment and health concerns creates a sense of responsibility to encourage them to take measures to prevent the spread of disease.
National Dengue Day 2024: Dengue is a viral infection spread by biting infected female Aedes mosquitos. This mosquito-borne infection can be commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions around the globe. Symptoms in an infected person tend to appear after 4 to 10 days, including high fever, vomiting or vomiting blood, belly pain, nausea, tenderness, restlessness, swollen glands, harsh headache, fatigue, muscle pain or skin rashes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), no antiviral treatment is available to combat the infection.
However, symptoms can be managed through a few approaches, such as
Medicines for Pain Control Acetaminophen, commonly known as paracetamol, is often prescribed and used to control pain for dengue patients. Drugs such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin are avoided to decrease the chances of internal bleeding.
Balanced diet A diet full of nutrients that can aid your immune system for better recovery. Add papaya leaves, papaya, leafy green vegetables, rice, oatmeal, poultry, carrots, legumes, etc. Avoid caffeine and food products high in salt or spice content.
Keep yourself hydrated Fluid retention is essential in mitigating dengue risks and preventing them from becoming more severe. Consume more fluids like coconut water or oral rehydration solutions (ORS). Soups can also be incorporated into the diet for more fluid intake.
Get adequate rest Rest is essential for recovery and helps your body heal faster. Avoid intense activities that may cause additional strain on the body.
Managing the environment Preventing mosquito bites is the initial step in avoiding such viral infections. To prevent mosquito bites, keep surroundings clean, install insect screens, use mosquito nets, wear protective clothing, etc.
Vaccines and Therapy Constant advancements in vaccine technology aims to provide better immunization. Dengvaxia, a commonly known traditional vaccine, can protect against certain viruses. Innovative therapy approaches like monoclonal antibodies and replication of antiviral drugs are being explored.
Vector Control To minimize the transmission of the dengue virus, it is essential to use innovative vector control approaches such as genetically modified mosquitoes and novel insecticide formulations that can specifically target certain life stages of mosquitoes
Community awareness and education Awareness campaigns to educate communities on detecting dengue symptoms, risks associated with the infection, and prevention techniques will help combat the disease. Communities that reside in isolated areas will need additional effort to reach and educate them on the disease.
Access to primary healthcare facilities Detecting symptoms is crucial, but the risk of infection is becoming more severe without access to basic healthcare facilities to provide effective treatment. Some cases of dengue may also require scans, tests or even hospitalization.
Research and development Dengue management must develop vaccines or other prevention therapies through a collective effort from essential organizations.
(Dr. Rahul Agrawal, Head of the Department & Clinical Director - Internal Medicine CARE Hospitals, Hi-Tech City Hyderabad, has medically verified this article.)
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