A gentle reminder from DOH that I heard from the news regarding Dengue this summer.
When warm weather arrives the incubation period of the Dengue Mosquite decreases from 12 days to just 5 days. So the public should be warned about the increased dangers of being bitten by the carrier mosquito and catching dengue.
The usual preventive measure can be done, which is to remove open receptacles where water can accumulate and serve as breeding grounds for the carrier vector of Dengue, the Aedes aegypti, a daylight feeding mosquito. Mosquito repellent lotion is also a good deterrent.
Dengue primer:
1. Dengue [DEN-ghee] is a flu-like viral disease spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal, complication of dengue.
2. Dengue occurs in most tropical areas of the world. Most U.S. cases occur in travelers returning from abroad, but the dengue risk is increasing for persons living along the Texas-Mexico border and in other parts of the southern United States.
3. There is no specific treatment for dengue.
4. Prevention centers on avoiding mosquito bites in areas where dengue occurs or might occur and eliminating breeding sites.
Signs and Symptoms of Dengue Fever and Dengue hemorrhagic fever
Dengue fever usually starts suddenly with a high fever, rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name "breakbone fever." Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. 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.
Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness, but some can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever. With dengue hemorrhagic fever, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body. Without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about 5 percent of cases, mostly among children and young adults.
How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?
The time between the bite of a mosquito carrying dengue virus and the start of symptoms averages 4 to 6 days, with a range of 3 to 14 days. An infected person cannot spread the infection to other persons but can be a source of dengue virus for mosquitoes for about 6 days.
How is dengue diagnosed?
Dengue is diagnosed by a blood test.
What is the treatment for dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever?
There is no specific treatment for dengue. Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids. They should be kept away from mosquitoes for the protection of others. Dengue hemorrhagic fever is treated by replacing lost fluids. Some patients need transfusions to control bleeding.
credits:
http://www.dhpe.org/infect/dengue.html
