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Dengue Fever
Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are acute febrile diseases, found in the tropics, with a geographical spread similar to malaria. Caused by one of four closely related virus serotypes of the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae, each serotype is sufficiently different that there is no cross-protection and epidemics caused by multiple serotypes (hyperendemicity) can occur. Dengue is transmitted to humans by the mosquito Aedes aegypti (rarely Aedes albopictus).
signs and symptoms of dengue fever
dengue fever is manifested by a sudden onset of fever, with severe headache, joint and muscular pains (myalgias and arthralgias, severe pain gives it the name break-bone fever) and rashes; the dengue rash is characteristically bright red, petechia and usually appears first on the lower limbs and the chest - in some patients, it spreads to cover most of the body. There may also be gastritis with some combination of associated abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Some cases of dengue fever develop much milder symptoms, than can, when no rash is present, be missdiagnosed as a flu or other viriasis. This is the cause of some travelers from tropical areas passing through denge in their home countries without being properly diagnosed.
The classical dengue fever lasts about six to seven days with a smaller peak of fever at the trailing end of the fever (the so-called "biphasic pattern"). Clinically, the platelet count will drop until the patient is afebrile.
Cases of DHF also shows higher fever, haemorrhagic phenomena, thrombocytopenia and haemoconcentration. A small proportion of cases leads to dengue shock syndrome (DDS) which has a high mortality rate.
diagnosis of dengue fever
The diagnosis of dengue is usually made clinically. The classical picture is of high fever with no localising source of infection, a petechial rash with thrombocytopenia and relative leukopenia.
Serology and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) studies are available to confirm the diagnosis of dengue if clinically indicated.
dengue fever treatment
The mainstay of treatment is supportive therapy. The patient is encouraged to keep up oral intake, especially of oral fluids. If the patient is unable to maintain oral intake, supplementation with intravenous fluids may be necessary to prevent dehydration and significant hemoconcentration. A platelet transfusion is indicated if the platelet level drops significantly.
epidemiology
The first epidemics occurred almost simultaneously, in Asia, Africa, and North America in the 1780s. The disease was identified and named in 1779. A global pandemic began in Southeast Asia in the 1950s and by 1975 DHF had become a leading cause of death among children in many countries in that region. Epidemic dengue has become more common since the 1980s - by the late 1990s, dengue was the most important mosquito-borne viral disease affecting humans after malaria, there being around 40 million cases of dengue fever and several hundred thousand cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever each year. In February 2002 there was a serious outbreak in Rio De Janeiro, affecting around one million people but only killing sixteen.
Significant outbreaks of dengue fever tend to occur every five or six years. There tend to remain large numbers of susceptible people in the population despite previous outbreaks because there are four different strains of the dengue virus and because of new susceptible individuals entering the target population, either through childbirth or immigration.
There is significant evidence, as suggested bu S.B. Halstead in the 1970s, of enhancement of DHF incidence in secondary infections by serotypes different from the one that caused the primary infection in a process known as antibody-dependent enhancment (ADE). Therefore, people that have passed a primary infection are usually advised to avoid the risk of a second one.
In Singapore, there are about 4-5000 reported cases of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever every year. In the year 2003, there were 6 deaths from dengue shock syndrome. It is believed that the reported cases of dengue are an underrepresentation of all the cases of dengue as it would ignore subclinical cases and cases where the patient did not present for medical treatment. The mortality rate for dengue is therefore probably less than 1 in 1000.
dengue fever prevention
There is no commercially ready vaccine for the dengue flavivirus.
Primary prevention of dengue mainly resides in eliminating or reducing the mosquito vector for dengue. Initiatives to eradicate pools of standing water (such as in flowerpots) have proven useful in controlling mosquito borne diseases.
Posted by Staff at May 19, 2005 12:07 AM
blog comments powered by DisqusComments Archive
WHERE CAN I HAVE A CHECK UP FOR DENGUE
Posted by: GILAD at August 26, 2005 11:19 AM
Once contacting Dengue Fever or diagnosed with Dengue Fever, can it reoccur in that individual at a later date. Can signs of dengue fever be detected in blood testing. What tests do this?
Posted by: J.J. Wilson at September 23, 2005 2:14 AM
i had my fever since 13nov. the fever had subsidies. but rashes start appearin on my body. the sole of my feet n palm of my hands feels itchy. right now, i dont feel any giddiness nor do i feel weak. am i suffering from dengue fever?
Posted by: adeline at November 20, 2005 9:11 AM
i am having fever now.. and i had several mosquito bites on my leg. i am so afraid its dengue fever!
Posted by: ethan at December 3, 2005 12:35 AM
my dad has very sever joint and muscle aches!! He has a high fever too!!! Please, what's the bast thing to do?!
Posted by: kitty at March 9, 2006 12:02 PM
I visited Panama in july and stayed for 2 weeks. I feel very feverish hot all over but not sick. No symptoms of flu. The palm of my hands are always hot. Could this be dengue and what can I do to treat myself? what kind of fluids is best to drink?
Posted by: Rey at August 29, 2006 4:42 AM
I visited Panama in july and stayed for 2 weeks. I feel very feverish hot all over but not sick. No symptoms of flu. The palm of my hands are always hot. Could this be dengue and what can I do to treat myself? what kind of fluids is best to drink?
Posted by: Rey at August 29, 2006 4:42 AM
My daughter had a fever ang she vomit and diarhea and if she eat a small amount of food they vomit all she eat.Im worried for her.Is she had a dengue?
Posted by: olivia mendoza at September 17, 2006 3:27 PM
For an unknown reason, I suddenly had a high fever for 26 hours already. I am also having a severe headache, nausea and vomiting. I feel weak that I can't even walk or stand for a minute without support. I can't even eat solid foods because I just vomit them all and felt much weaker. 2 hours ago, I felt much better but I am still suffering from a headache and low fever. Am I suffering from dengue fever?
Posted by: rose at October 10, 2006 2:27 PM
I have fever for almost 1 week. Same with Kitty I am not sick and theres no symptom of flu. But my palm are always hot.Could this be dengue?
Posted by: marzieh sumalde at October 18, 2006 2:08 AM
I have fever for almost 1 week. Same with Kitty I am not sick and theres no symptom of flu. But my palm are always hot.Could this be dengue?
Posted by: marzieh sumalde at October 18, 2006 2:08 AM
dengue data
Posted by: vinodini at October 28, 2006 10:52 PM
We have dangue fever outbreak here in Pakistan.Being a primary health care physician,what should be my line of action in a patient who is afebrile after 2-3 days, in a very good shape clinically and can take orally. How should i follow up this patient? Is second attack of dangue fever lethal in this case?
Posted by: Dr.Muhammad Tahir Ch at November 14, 2006 8:10 AM
