Zee Media Bureau/Salome Phelamei
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection and is prevalent throughout the tropics and subtropics.
It is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, A. albopictus.
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Dengue fever is a flu-like illness that affects infants, children and adults alike. Occasionally the infection causes a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue.
If a person is suffering from a high fever (40°C/104°F) and is accompanied by 2 of the following symptoms, dengue should be suspected:
- Severe headache
- Pain behind the eyes
- Muscle and joint pains
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Swollen glands
- Widespread rash
- Minor bleeding from the nose or gums
Symptoms usually last for 2–7 days, after an incubation period of 4–10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito.
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In case of severe dengue, warning signs occur 3–7 days after the first symptoms in conjunction with a decrease in temperature (below 38°C/100°F) and include:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Bleeding gums
- Fatigue
- Breathing difficulty
- Blood in vomit
As there are no approved vaccines or therapies to prevent dengue, early detection and access to proper medical care can reduce the fatality rates.
