Dengue fever is a disease caused by the dengue virus that is mostly transmitted by the bite of female mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti.
Its symptoms range from none to serious flu-like symptoms. Dengue can even be life-threatening for some people.
Mainly dengue is of four serotypes. After recovery from one type of dengue, s/he has immunization from that particular serotype but s/he can be affected by another serotype of dengue which can be even more fatal.
Dengue fever is the most widely distributed mosquito-borne viral disease in the world.
It continues to spread rapidly because of population growth, rapid urbanization, and climate change. Outbreaks are generally seasonal, peaking during and after the rainy season.
Current Condition of Dengue Worldwide
- More than 3.9 billion people are at risk of suffering from dengue fever.
- It is endemic in 129 countries, with about 70% of cases in Asia.
- About 0.4 billion people are affected by dengue each year and among them, symptoms are seen in about 0.1 billion people.
- More than 40,000 people die every year because of dengue.
- From 1990 to 2019 there was an 85% increase in dengue cases.
- It is predicted that about 60% of the world population will be at risk of dengue by 2080 A.D.
- Most dengue cases are not reported because many cases are asymptomatic, mild and self-managed, or misdiagnosed.
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How does Dengue Spread?
Dengue fever is mainly spread by the bite of infected female mosquitoes, which include Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.
A mosquito becomes infected by the dengue virus when it bites a person who has dengue in his or her blood.
After about a week, the mosquito can spread the disease to another person when it bites.
Dengue doesn’t transmit from one person to another directly.
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Who is at Risk of Dengue Fever?
People of all ages can get affected by dengue if they are exposed to infected mosquitoes.
During the rainy season, there is a high chance of spreading dengue.
Most people living in terai are affected by dengue fever but some cases are even found in hilly areas of Nepal.
Dengue can also transfer from pregnant women to fetuses. There is a very rare case of dengue transmission through blood transfusion and organ transplantation.
Symptoms of Dengue
- High fever (104°F)
- Severe headache
- Pain behind the eyes
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Swollen glands
- Body rashes
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- Muscle, joint, or bone pain
Prevention
We can control dengue infection by following preventive measures:
- Wearing long-sleeved clothes that covers your whole body
- Using mosquito nets and repellents to avoid mosquito bite
- Use window and door screens
- Remove any still water around the home/office and avoid camping near stagnant water
- Empty and clean containers that hold standing water, such as planting containers, and animal dishes at least once a week
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- If possible, avoid being outside at dusk, dawn, and early evening
Treatment
There are no specific antiviral drugs or medicine to treat dengue infection.Paracetamol or acetaminophen can be taken to control fever, muscle aches, and pains. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen should be avoided.
Hospitalized dengue patients should be closely observed and their fluid intake must be carefully managed, according to strict guidelines.
In countries where early detection and such medical care are available, the fatality rate from dengue has dropped below 1%.
The currently available vaccine is limited to people from 9-45 years of age who have had at least one previous episode of dengue virus infection. Several dengue vaccine candidates are under evaluation.
The lack of treatment options increases the risk of people developing severe dengue, which can be fatal.
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