Dengue fever is fast emerging as a pandemic viral disease affecting lives at a larger level than before. It is an illness caused by infection with a virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito occurring in tropical and subtropical areas.
Merely talking about dengue and not focusing on its causes, symptoms, and prevention won’t do justice. So let us discuss the probable causes of dengue fever, the warning signs and how we can prevent them.
Dengue virus is basically an RNA virus and the transmission occurs in a particular cycle. A female mosquito bites an infected human and then bites another human. As a result, virus transmission continues and starts affecting the human body. So here we can say the sole cause of dengue fever is a mosquito.
Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds in stagnant water. One can suspect the breeding of such mosquito in water coolers, flowers vases, bucket water, discarded containers or uncovered barrels. This mosquito is more active during dusk and dawn, in shady areas and when the weather is cloudy. They are capable of spreading infection all throughout the year. Though the lifespan of an adult Aedes aegypti mosquito is two to four weeks, the mosquitos reappear after a cold winter.
The symptoms occur four to seven days after being bitten by the infected mosquito. During a mild case of dengue fever, many people may not experience any symptoms. But the most commonly observed symptoms of dengue fever are as follows
A high fever of 104 F degrees is the most common symptom of dengue fever. It comes along with some other symptoms. Fever accompanies at least two of the following symptoms:
1. Severe headache – The affected person may experience a severe headache which may become unbearable at a point of time.
2. Severe joint and muscle pain – Body joints or muscles may suffer from severe pain.
Suffering from extreme tiredness or feeling exhausted accompanies dengue fever.
Feeling sick with an inclination to vomit may add upon the miseries of a person affected by dengue.
After the onset of the dengue fever, skin rashes may appear which may be very irritating in most of the cases.
Nose bleeding or gum bleeding is commonly observed during dengue fever. Immediate action after experiencing even mild symptoms becomes necessary to avoid any form of delay for any delay can further complicate the situation.
An estimate states that each year around 400 million people get affected by the dengue virus and about 100 million people get sick. Prevention is better than cure! The best way to prevent dengue is to prevent the bite. Here’s how you can do it.
To deter the mosquitoes from attacking, one should use insect repellent. It makes the usage much easier since these are easily available in the market. These can be applied directly to skin, clothing or any other surface to keep mosquitoes away.
Wearing shirts with long sleeves and long pants especially while you are outdoors can save you from the bite. This reduces the chances of getting affected by dengue fever and its after-effects as well.
In areas with many mosquitoes, mosquito netting is a good option to gain protection against mosquitoes which can spread dengue. To keep the mosquitoes away while you are asleep, netting is simply the best option.
It is generally observed that scents invite mosquitoes. So try to avoid using scents.
Aedes mosquito breeds the most in stagnant water. One can reduce the risk of breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant water by:
By structural barriers, we mean the windows and the screens at one’s place which can reduce the chances of mosquitoes entering your place. Try to keep the doors and windows closed. Dengue can be tough to deal with but you need to get tougher and fight back. Mild symptoms need proper care and attention which can otherwise take the form of severe dengue fever.
Don’t worry! Experts at Amandeep Hospital are available at times of the day to serve you and provide you with the right treatment. Our dedicated staff works tirelessly to help you recover and with the modern bite treatments in hand, the recovery moves at a fast pace. Delay no more and contact us today to fight the fight against dengue.
May 6, 2024
