Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : April 20, 2020 9:10 AM IST
The global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically in recent decades, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The global incidence of dengue has grown dramatically in recent decades, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). An estimated 100-400 million infections are reported each year, the organization said.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection mainly caused by the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito. The virus responsible for the disease is called dengue virus (DENV), which has four serotypes. It is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Most dengue cases occur in tropical areas of the world, including the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Southern China, Taiwan and The Pacific Islands.
Dengue leads to a severe, flu-like illness, but seldom causes death. WHO classifies dengue into two major categories: dengue (with /without warning signs) and severe dengue. Usually, a person develops symptoms four to six days after infection and the symptoms last for up to 10 days. Dengue is suspected if you have a sudden high fever (40 C/104 F) accompanied by two of the following symptoms:
Severe dengue is a potentially fatal complication that occurs normally about 3-7 days after illness onset. It can lead to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment. Warning signs associated with severe dengue can manifest when the fever starts dropping (below 38 C/100 F) in the patient. One should watch out for these warning signs of severe dengue-
If a patient shows this symptoms, he/she should be kept in close observation with proper medical care to avoid complications and risk of death.
Dengue is more common during the monsoon season. The best way to prevent dengue is to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Following the tips below may help reduce your risk of mosquito bites:
