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Everything you need to know about dengue
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It can cause high fever, pain behind the eyes, and joint pain.
The virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected female mosquito from the Aedes genus. There are four various types of dengue viruses: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4. The virus cannot be spread directly from person to person through casual contact or coughing or sneezing.
The best way to avoid dengue fever is to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing such as long sleeves and pants while outdoors during daytime hours when mosquitoes are most active.
What is dengue fever?
Dengue fever is a viral infection caused by the Aedes mosquito. It is a disease that can be caused by any one of the four related dengue viruses. Often, dengue is also known as bone-breaking fever because it severely affects the patient’s muscles and bones, causing pain almost like breaking bones. The disease affects people in many countries around the world, especially in South-East Asia, India, China, Africa, and Central America.
What causes dengue fever?
Dengue fever is caused by one of four viruses, DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4. A patient can be infected with the same type of virus only once. However, at least two, if not four, can be infected at the same time.
Virus infection
Dengue virus is transmitted through infection by the Aedes mosquito. This infection cannot spread from person to person. It is only transmitted when the Aedes mosquito bites an infected person and then bites another person.
The symptoms a person may experience depend on the aged person. However, usually, symptoms begin with a high fever within 4-7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Common symptoms of classic dengue include:
-Acute joint and muscle pain
-High fever up to 105 F
-Pain behind the eyes
-Severe headache
-The whole body is covered with red rashes
-Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
In some cases, the disease may be mild and the patient may not experience these symptoms at all.
When children are infected with dengue, they often develop a rash and fever, while other symptoms may be mild. These symptoms can also be caused by other problems. If you have been to an area affected by dengue, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Dengue fever can sometimes develop into a potentially fatal disease. Symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever include all the classic dengue symptoms as well as bleeding from the nose, gums, or under the skin, which is the result of damaged blood vessels. This form of disease should not be ignored as it can be fatal.
Prevention of dengue
The best way to prevent dengue is to proactively take steps to avoid mosquito bites. This includes wearing light-colored clothes that are loose-fitting and covering as much of your body as possible. Another fact is that Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day and in the afternoon before dark. Some other precautions you can take to prevent dengue include:
Use insect repellents
-Make sure your area does not get waterlogged
-Wear full outer clothing
-Keep windows closed to prevent mosquitoes from entering
-Check your surroundings regularly for areas with standing water