Signs and symptoms of Dengue

Dengue Signs and Symptoms

It is important to have your child checked by a doctor once any of these symptoms are seen.

1.) Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain.
2.) The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name “breakbone fever.”
3.) Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common.
4.) A rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever.

The illness can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children.

More severe illness may occur in some people. These people may be experiencing dengue fever for the first time. However, in some cases a person may have already had dengue fever at one time, recovered, and then is reinfected with the virus. In these cases, the first infection teaches the immune system to recognize the presence of the arbovirus. When the immune cells encounter the virus during later infections, the immune system over-reacts. These types of illnesses, called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS), involve more severe symptoms.

A fever occurs in nearly all dengue infections in children; the other most common symptoms are a red throat, a (usually mild) runny nose, cough, and mild gastrointestinal symptoms which of course may present similar to pharyngitis, influenza, and upper respiratory infections.

The dengue virus causes the blood vessels to swell and leak, creating small purple colored spots on the skin, called petechiae. The skin may appear bruised in areas where the bleeding is worse. Bleeding into the stomach causes severe abdominal pains and vomiting of a black, grainy substance that looks like coffee grounds. This severe bleeding, called hemorrhaging, occurs when the blood runs out of clotting factors.

Anti-Dengue Checklist

How do we get the Dengue virus?
 
Humans are infected through the bites of the female striped Aedes aegypti mosquito (vector). These types of mosquito breeds easily during the rainy seasons. But studies have shown that they can flourish in domestic fresh water, e.g. water that is stored in plastic bags, cans, flowerpots and old tires. The dengue virus is transmitted to its host during probing and blood feeding.
 
To prevent the spread of dengue fever, you must first prevent the breeding of its vector, the Aedes mosquito. The Aedes mosquito is easily identifiable by its distinctive black and white stripes on their body. It prefers to breed in clean, stagnant water easily found in our homes. You can get rid of the Aedes mosquito by frequently checking and removing stagnant water in your premises.

Follow this Anti- Dengue Checklist to significantly reduce the risk of infection.

DO THIS ALL THE TIME

1.) Check pails, watering cans, bottles and any object that may store water and store them properly.

2.) Remove water in plant pot plates. Clean and scrub the plate thoroughly to remove mosquito eggs.

3.) Loosen soil from potted plants to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water on the surface of the hardened soil.

4.) Always clear debris in outdoor drains and ensure that water flows freely.

5.) Trays beneath the air-conditioning units must be regularly check for stagnant water.

6.) Change water in flower vases. Clean and scrub the inner sides of vases including roots where mosquito eggs can easily stick.

7.)  Clear away fallen leaves in roof gutters and apron drains. If structurally feasible, remove the roof gutters.