What is Dengue Fever – About dengue symptoms, test, treatment

What is dengue Fever? This is the fever, widely pronounced as Den-gee, is a highly painful as well as a debilitating mosquito-borne disease. It comes out as a result of one of 4 dengue viruses that are closely linked to one another. The virus dengue are from the same family of micro-organisms that lead to the occurrence of yellow fever as well as an infection called West Nile. Let’s know in depth about dengue symptoms, dengue test as well as treatment for dengue (dengue treatment).

It is estimated that every year around 390 dengee infections take place around the world and 96 million are taken ill exhibiting ghastly dengue symptoms. Most of the occurrences are centered around the tropical areas with the following places being most vulnerable: The Indian subcontinent, The Southern part of China, Taiwan, Africa, Mexico, The Southern & Central America, etc.

About dengue fever’s transmission, scientists say that it is transmitted when a mosquito named ‘Aedes’ infected with dengue virus attacks an individual. The mosquito picks up the virus when it bites someone infected with Dengue virus in their bloodstream. This disease is non-contagious and non-communicable. It cannot be transferred from one person to another by direct contact. However, dengue test is advisable if any of the dengue symptoms start showing up.

Aedes mosquito spreads other illnesses too. Read Zika Virus Attack

Also, read Chikungunya Symptoms And Treatment

What is Dengue fever symptoms?

The symptoms usually begin around four to six days after an individual is infected and can last for as many as 10 days. These usually include:

• A sudden high fever
• Recurrences of severe headaches, migraine like symptoms. Read Migraine Symptoms And Treatment
• Severe pain behind the eyes
• Severe pain in the muscle and joints
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Skin rash, which usually occurs around two to five days after the fever sets in
• Mild nose bleeding, or bleeding gums.

In certain cases, the symptoms are mild and maybe easily mistaken for flu. In such cases it is advisable to go for dengue test. Youngsters and those adults who  have not experienced what is dengue infection before tend to contract milder cases while people who have experienced the attack earlier may suffer from severe illness.

The problems may include failure of the circulatory system, liver enlargement, damage to lymph nodes, or dengue hemorrhagic fever.

People who suffer from a weakened immune system or have suffered from dengue in the past are usually at a greater risk of contracting dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Providing a correct diagnosis for best dengue treatment

Blood test is usually carried out by the doctors to determine if a person is actually infected with the virus and antibodies responsible for causing dengue. For those who have contracted the disease soon after returning from a tropical area, it is advisable that the information be shared with the doctors. This will help them evaluate if the symptoms are an indication of a dengue infection.

What is dengue treatment?

No specific drug has been yet found for treating dengue. However, plenty of supportive care and home based treatments can help in treatment for dengue and save a patient’s life. Fever and intense body aches are the characteristic symptoms of this life threatening fever.

• The treatment for dengue can include antipyretic drugs like paracetamol while analgesics used in it usually help in treating body ache and provide relief from pain.

• The medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin should be avoided as they usually enhance the risk of a hemorrhage.

• Various natural home remedies such as eating kiwi fruit, papaya leaves, and other such food items that help in increasing the platelet count can be used for treating patients suffering from this ailment.

• Patients suffering from dengue should ideally drink plenty of fluids to mar the dehydration.

if a person is suffering from a severe dengue fever attack and experiencing hemorrhages, he/she should ideally be admitted to a hospital to get dengue test done and also to get proper care. If left at home, their life stays high risk of coming to an end.

Vaccines are being developed and they will likely provide the most effective treatment for dengue.

What can you do to prevent dengue fever (home based treatment for dengue)?

Since a definite cure about dengue fever is yet to be found, the safest thing for you to do right now about it is take measures to ensure that you don’t get bitten by the mosquitoes. This is the best dengue treatment so far. Here are some of the things you can do.

• Avoid having stagnant water in barrels, buckets, flowerpots, etc. anywhere in and around your house. These are the places mosquitoes prefer to breed in. If you have to store water, make sure they are in closed containers.

• If water is to be kept for long time in a container, spread bleaching powder in water that is not meant for drinking as it prevents the development of mosquito eggs.

• Use mosquito repellents and restrict female mosquitoes from sucking protein present in your blood for this nutrient is essential for them to produce eggs.

• It is advisable to have mosquito nets attached to the open entries like windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your homes.

• Dark color clothing attracts mosquitoes so try wearing light, bright colored attires.

• Strong perfumes should be avoided as mosquitoes get drawn towards strong body odor.

If there is someone in your family who is a suspected victim of this fever or is already exhibiting some dengue symptoms, you should be extra vigilant about protecting yourself and other family members from mosquitoes. Get the dengue test done. A mosquito biting the infected family member could have the infection being spread around the entire household. So, remember these facts about dengue, look for dengue symptoms wisely and once somebody is arrested with it, go for proper dengue treatment.