The World Health Organization (WHO) describes dengue as a “viral infection which can be transmitted to humans through infected mosquitoes”. It states that the primary vector that transmits the disease are the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
There is no “specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue,” despite the fact that severe dengue is a primary cause of “serious disease and mortality” in various Asian and Latin American nations.
“Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1 per cent,” the WHO adds.
Every year, dengue infections affect millions of people globally. Southeast Asia, the western Pacific islands, Latin America, and Africa are where dengue fever is most prevalent. Localized outbreaks of the disease have been reported in Europe and the southern United States, among other new locations.
The development of dengue fever vaccines is ongoing. For now, avoiding mosquito bites and taking measures to minimise the mosquito population are the best approaches to prevent illness in places where dengue fever is common.
Signs and Symptoms of Dengue Fever
Many people may not exhibit any symptoms or indicators of dengue illness.
When symptoms do show up, they typically start four to ten days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and may be mistaken for other ailments, like the flu.
Dengue fever causes a high fever — 104 F (40 C) — and any of the following signs and symptoms:
- Headache
- Muscle, bone or joint pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pain behind the eyes
- Swollen glands
- Rash
Most people get better in about a week. In some situations, symptoms might get worse and even be fatal. Severe dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever, or dengue shock syndrome are terms used to describe it.
Your blood vessels become damaged and leaky with severe dengue. Additionally, the quantity of platelets in your blood decreases. Shock, internal bleeding, organ failure, and even death may result from this.
There can be speedy development of severe dengue fever warning signs, which is a life-threatening emergency. The warning signals, which may include the following, may appear within the first day or two after your fever has subsided.
- Severe stomach pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Bleeding from your gums or nose
- Blood in your urine, stools or vomit
- Bleeding under the skin, which might look like bruising
- Difficult or rapid breathing
- Fatigue
- Irritability or restlessness
When to see a doctor
A medical emergency that poses a risk to life is severe dengue fever. If you have travelled to a region where dengue fever is known to exist, you have a fever, and you experience any of the warning signs, you should seek emergency medical assistance. Severe stomach discomfort, vomiting, breathing problems, or blood in your nose, gums, vomit, or faeces are all warning signals.
Call your doctor if you’ve recently travelled and get a fever and other minor dengue fever symptoms.
