What is dengue fever?
Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. Dengue fever symptoms, but in some cases, it may become severe and be life-threatening. The spread of dengue fever is concentrated in tropical regions. Still, the infection rate with this infection has increased worldwide recently, with the annual number of infections estimated at 390 million cases.
Dengue fever phase periods
The disease phase of dengue fever is divided into two periods:
- The incubation period is the period that extends from the time of infection until the onset of Dengue fever symptoms and is approximately 4 to 10 days after transmission, during which no symptoms appear.
- The period of onset of symptoms lasts 2-7 days, during which a person can transmit the infection by infecting healthy mosquitoes with the virus and transmitting it to others.
Causes of dengue fever
Dengue fever results when infected with a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever are female and belong to the Aedes aegypti or yellow fever mosquito species.
After a mosquito feeds on the blood of a person infected with the dengue virus, the virus multiplies in the mosquito’s midgut before spreading to secondary tissues, including the salivary glands. The mosquito can then transmit the virus for the rest of its life. Dengue infection does not spread from person to person. The presence of an intermediate vector, which is mosquitoes. The mosquitoes that cause dengue fever breed in places of stagnant water, such as wells and water tanks.
How is dengue fever diagnosed?
You should consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of dengue fever, especially if you have a high temperature and the appearance of Dengue fever symptoms upon returning from tropical regions. Several tests must be performed to confirm the diagnosis of dengue fever, and these tests include the following:
Blood tests
Blood tests are performed to detect the presence of the virus causing dengue fever, and include the following blood tests:
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which detects the presence and type of the virus causing dengue fever.
- Antibody test, which detects the presence of “IgM” and “IgG” antibodies secreted by the immune system upon exposure to the dengue virus.
Tests to monitor abnormalities caused by dengue fever
These checks include:
- Complete blood count, as dengue fever is accompanied by a decrease in the platelet count, and can lead to a decrease in hemoglobin and red blood cells in some severe cases due to bleeding.
- Examination of kidney function and electrolytes, as in severe cases of dengue fever can result in general dehydration that leads to an imbalance in kidney function and the balance of water and salts in the body.
These tests are performed by taking a blood sample and analyzing it in the laboratory.
The effectiveness of some of these tests reaches its maximum when the test is performed several days after transmission of the infection, such as the antibody test, while the chain reaction test detects the presence of the virus within 7 days of the start of symptoms.
Dengue fever symptoms
Dengue fever symptoms do not appear immediately after infection but rather take several days before they begin to appear. These symptoms last about ten days and are minor in most cases, but they may increase in severity to threaten the patient’s life.
Perhaps the most common dengue fever symptoms patients are:
- High temperature.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Feeling a severe headache and pain behind the eyes.
- Having a skin rash.
- Anorexia.
- General fatigue in the body.
- The presence of swollen lymph nodes.
- Minor bruising appears on the skin.
- Bleeding from the nose or gums.
- Feeling pain in the joints and muscles.
In some rare cases of Dengue fever symptoms, dengue fever is dangerous and has severe complications that may be life-threatening. Severe symptoms appear several days after the initial symptoms appear. Symptoms of severe dengue fever include the following:
- Feeling severe pain in the abdomen.
- There is bloating in the abdominal area.
- Accelerated and weak heartbeat.
- Severe vomiting accompanied by blood.
- Acceleration in breathing rate.
- Feeling cold in the skin and extremities.
- The presence of blood in the stool.
- Feeling extremely tired and sleepy.
Treatment of dengue fever
There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, as the disease fades on its own within several days and may continue for several weeks. Treatment of dengue fever depends on treating the Dengue fever symptoms and signs that the patient suffers from, and treatment is as follows:
- Use painkillers and antipyretics, such as paracetamol, and avoid medications that increase the chance of bleeding, such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, and aspirin.
- Take enough rest.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
The disease can develop into severe dengue fever symptoms, which may be life-threatening, requiring a hospital stay to provide the necessary health care to replace lost fluids and monitor vital signs.
How can dengue fever be prevented?
Dengue infection is concentrated in tropical regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. Preventive efforts from the disease focus on avoiding contracting a mosquito bite when traveling to these areas. The most important methods of preventing dengue fever symptoms include following the following tips:
- Use insect repellent inside and outside the home. It is recommended to use insect repellent containing 50% DEET.
- Stay away from crowded areas.
- Avoid opening the protective grilles of the windows, and make sure to close the doors of the house.
- Cover your entire body when going out by wearing long-sleeved clothes, avoiding open shoes, and wearing loose clothing, as mosquitoes can reach the skin through tight clothing.
- It is recommended to stay at home during dawn and dusk, as this is the time when mosquitoes are most present.
- Avoid leaving containers of water uncovered, such as flower pots, pet feeding dishes, and Cola cans, because humidity helps mosquitoes breed.
Complications of dengue fever
Most cases of dengue fever symptoms disappear on their own without causing complications, but some rare severe cases may lead to:
- Causing damage to the blood vessels that leads to fluid seeping into other organs of the body, such as:
- Lung, causing pleural effusion resulting from fluid accumulation.
- Abdomen, causing ascites in the abdomen.
- Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a rare condition characterized by high fever, enlarged liver, circulatory failure, destruction of the lymphatic system, and bleeding from the nose and gums.
- Dengue shock syndrome, which occurs as a result of dengue hemorrhagic fever, may lead to severe bleeding and death.
Read More: