What is dengue fever and how to treat it

What is dengue fever and why you should know about it

Dengue feverDenge and Severe Denge / WHO Is a viral infection carried by mosquitoes.

Previously, infected insects were found mainly in tropical near-equatorial zones: in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific islands. But dengue outbreaks began to be recorded much further north - in Europe (France, Croatia, Portugal), as well as in the southern regionsDengue fever / Mayo Clinic USA. Moreover, as observations show, mosquitoes, carriers of this infection, prefer not remote swampy areas (such as, for example, malarial), and urban and suburban areas.

Dengue infects up to 400 million people every year. WHO experts believeDenge and Severe Denge / WHOthat fever threatens half of the world's population: over the past 20 years, the number of cases of the disease has increased more than eightfold. Therefore, everyone should know about dengue. At least then, in order to track the symptoms in time and consult a doctor.

Why is dengue fever dangerous?

More often than not, nothing. Dengue virus has several serotypes (variations), and most of them cause only mild discomfort. But certain types of pathogen can provoke a serious complication - severe dengue fever. It is also called hemorrhagic fever.

The Greek word haimorrhagia means bleeding. With a hemorrhagic form, the blood vessels becomeDengue fever / Mayo Clinic permeable, blood plasma begins to flow into other tissues, the level drops sharply platelets. All this can lead to dangerous internal bleeding, shock, internal organ failure and, as a result, death.

The trouble is that it is impossible to predict in advance which dengue serotype a person will encounter. Each case is a tape measure.

How to recognize dengue fever

Most people are lucky: the disease goes away without symptoms. Dengue signs appear in every fourth personDengue / CDC infected and most often resembleDengue fever / Mayo Clinic flu:

• High temperature - up to 40 ° C.
• Headache.
• Severe muscle, bone, or joint pain. By the way, the symptom is encryptedDengue fever / The Great Russian Encyclopedia in the very word "dengue" it is a distorted English dandy ("dandy", "dandy"). The disease was named so because of the characteristic gait of the infected. A person experiencing pain in muscles and joints moves unnaturally, throwing his legs forward and waving his arms like a cartoon “dude”.
• Feeling of pain behind the eyes.
• Swollen tonsils.
• Nausea, vomiting.
• Skin rash.

Typically, the infection begins to manifest itself 4-10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito, and symptoms are present for about a week.

About 1 in 20 people who contract dengue develop a severe, hemorrhagic fever.

The first signs of an incipient complication appearDengue / CDC 1-2 days after the temperature subsided. They includeDengue fever / Mayo Clinic into myself:

• severe abdominal pain;
• frequent vomiting - at least three times a day;
• bleeding from the nose or gums;
• traces blood in urine, stool, or vomiting;
• bruising that occurs on its own (this is a sign of subcutaneous hemorrhage);
• shortness of breath;
• anxiety, irritability;
• weakness.

When to see a doctor urgently

It is worth consulting with a physician in any case if you have recently visited a region where dengue cases have been recorded and you have a fever.

Call an ambulance immediately if you have severe abdominal pain following a fever, vomit and any bleeding.

How to treat dengue fever

Like most viral infections, dengue is not cured.Dengue / CDC. Doctors prescribe only symptomatic therapy in order to alleviate the condition and help the body to cope with the disease on its own.

How is mild dengue treated?

Doctors give the same adviceDengue / NHSas with the flu or cold:

• Take sick leave and get more rest.
• To reduce fever and pain, take paracetamol-based medications. Attention: funds with ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid are contraindicated for dengue!
• Drink more liquids: water, tea, fruit drinks, fruit drinks. Sports drinks with electrolytes are also good. This is important to stay hydrated.

And watch your condition. If signs of complications appear, seek emergency help immediately.

How is severe dengue treated?

Only in conditionsDengue fever / Mayo Clinic hospital and even intensive care. The tasks of doctors in this case:

• Monitor your blood pressure to keep it from dropping too low.
• Prevent dehydration. People with hemorrhagic dengue will need to replenish their moisture and electrolytes intravenously.
• Stop bleeding if possible. If not, provide a blood transfusion.

How to avoid getting dengue fever

The main way of prevention is to avoid bites.Dengue. Prevention / CDC mosquitoes. Especially in areas where a dengue outbreak has already been reported.

WHO experts recommendDenge and Severe Denge / WHO:

• Use repellents.
• Wear long sleeves.
• During the period of mosquito activity, if possible, stay in closed ventilated areas. Dengue insects are most activeDengue fever / Mayo Clinic from dawn to dusk, but can bite at night.
• Stay away from reservoirs and containers with standing water. There are especially many mosquitoes in such places.

Note that there is a dengue vaccine: it is administered in three doses over the course of a year. But there is a nuance. The drug is approvedDengue fever / Mayo Clinic only for people aged 9–45 who have already had a fever. For those unfamiliar with dengue, this vaccination may increase the risk of severe illness.

Ekaterina Komissarova