World Health Day 2014: Dengue fever – treatment and prevention

The dangerous thing about dengue is there are no specific antiviral drugs for the ailment and it’s only the symptoms that can be treated.

By: Nirmalya Dutta | | Updated: April 3, 2015 5:51 pm

April 7 is World Health Day 2014 and the theme this year is ‘Vector-borne diseases – small bite, big threat’.

One of the most common vector-borne diseases in India is dengue or dengue fever which afflicts people of all classes. Caused by the dengue virus, common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and a signature skin rash. According to Dr Subhas Sonawala, consultant general physician at Kohinoor Hospital, Mumbai: ‘Dengue complications are often termed dengue shock syndrome and is also associated with high mortality rate. Dengue shock syndrome can lead to vascular permeability, dehydration, myocardial dysfunction contributing to development of shock with even multi-organ failure.’

Dengue fever treatment

The dangerous thing about dengue is there are no specific antiviral drugs for the ailment and it’s only the symptoms that can be treated. The most important thing that can be done is to maintain their fluid balance to prevent dehydration. This can be done with adequate rest and fluid intake. Acetaminophen and codeine can be given for severe headaches and for joint and muscle pain.

Taking drugs like aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is however dangerous since the infecting organism in dengue affects the platelets which are responsible for the clotting, which in turn increases a person’s tendency to bleed. Now drugs like aspirin and NSAIDs also have a similar action which could cause the person to bleed excessively which could cause ‘Dengue Shock Syndrome’.

Prevention

Since there are no specific treatment options, the best option to prevention. And the main way to prevent dengue is to avoid getting bitten. Here are ten simple tips to prevent dengue:

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are known to bite humans during the day and their most common breeding grounds are manmade containers. Therefore, it is advisable to not have any stagnant water around. Remember to clean out empty flower pots and not to over water potted plants. If the container that contains water cannot be emptied, remember to cover it well when not in use.
Turn over empty pails and buckets, so that they do not collect excess water.
Use mosquito repellents regularly. Apply it well on all exposed areas, during the day as well as at night.
Make sure your window and door screens do not have any holes. If so, block those areas properly to eliminate mosquitoes.
If someone at home is ill with dengue, try to not let the mosquitoes bite them or others in the house.
Always sleep under a mosquito net.
If you use a cooler remember to empty out and clean the water tray regularly, even when not in use.
Always cover your trash can when not in use.
A natural method to keep mosquitoes at bay is to plant tulsi near your window. The plant has properties that do not allow mosquitoes to breed.
Using camphor as a repellent also works wonders. Light camphor in a room and close all the doors and windows. Leave it this way for about fifteen to twenty minutes to have a mosquito free environment.

So what is dengue?
It is a tropical disease, usually transmitted by mosquitoes and the common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and skin rash. There is no vaccine for dengue and the only way to reduce infections is to improve hygiene levels so as to prevent mosquito-bites and prevent mosquitoes from breeding. It’s particularly difficult to create a vaccine because it’s caused by different viruses and there are no animal models available for testing. The disease kills over five thousand Indians every year and is a seasonal threat, particularly during the monsoon seasons.

So what are the symptoms of dengue?
Characterized by severe flu-like symptoms, dengue affects infants, children and adults alike and could be fatal. The clinical manifestations of dengue vary with the age of the patient. A person suffering from high fever in the range of 40°C/ 104°F, accompanied by any two of the following symptoms could be suffering from dengue:

Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Nausea, Vomiting
Swollen glands
Muscle and joint pains
Rash

Symptoms usually last for 2-7 days. Dengue could progress to severe dengue, a potentially fatal complication, causing leaking of plasma, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding and organ impairment. The warning signs to look out for occur 3-7 days after the first symptoms along with a decrease in temperature are severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, b leeding gums, blood in vomit, fatigue, restlessness.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of dengue.

Dengue

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Published: April 8, 2014 2:55 pm | Updated:April 3, 2015 5:51 pm

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