SCRIPT NUMBER 158
DENGUE FEVER - 2
(ONE SPEAKER)
PROGRAM NAME: HEALTH NUGGETS
PROGRAM TITLE: DENGUE FEVER - 2
PROGRAM NUMBER: 158
SUBJECT: DEFINITION, CAUSE, TREATMENT, PREVENTION OF DENGUE
FEVER AND DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER
KEY WORDS: FLU-LIKE VIRUS, HEMORRHAGIC FEVER, SHOCK, VACCINE,
INSECTICIDES
DATE OF SCRIPT: APRIL 4, 2014
AUTHOR: RICHARD YUKL, MD, FACS
You may have experienced one of those times when it was hot and humid day
after day. It was difficult to do anything except sit in a chair, drink a cold
beverage, and wait for some refreshing rain to make life tolerable. You began to
feel as though you were living in an oven, and mosquitoes were everywhere,
biting without mercy. As uncomfortable as that situation may have been in the
past, now there is one more thing to worry about. A new virus infection is rapidly
spreading around the world. It is called dengue fever, and, at the present time,
more than 2.5 billion people who live in, or who have recently traveled to, tropical
and subtropical areas of the world are at risk of becoming infected. That is more
than 40% of Earth’s population.
You may have never even heard of dengue fever. It is a virus infection with flulike symptoms that comes from the bite of an infected female mosquito.
Mosquitoes become infected with the virus by biting an infected human. Once
infected, female mosquitoes are able to pass the virus back to humans through
their bites for the remainder of their lives.
People with a mild dengue virus infection often experience no symptoms. This is
especially true among children and teenagers. When symptoms do occur, they
begin 4-10 days after the infected female mosquito has bitten. Symptoms are not
specific, but they resemble the symptoms of a viral flu infection. They can include
muscle aches, joint pain, and headaches along with pain behind the eyes. A
fever higher than 40 degrees Centigrade, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit may
develop, as well as a widespread rash, nausea and vomiting, and bleeding from
the gums or nose. Most people recover from the infection in about a week.
Before 1970, only nine tropical countries of the world had ever experienced a
severe epidemic of dengue fever. Since then, however, spread of the infection
has increased dramatically with explosive outbreaks occurring in many new
areas of the world. The countries of Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific are
the most seriously affected, but the disease has also increased rapidly in Latin
America and the Caribbean. The threat even exists in Europe, where infections
have been reported for the first time in countries such as France and Croatia.
Why should you be overly concerned about a virus infection that has either no
symptoms or mild symptoms, and one from which most people recover within
one week? The reason is that the infection does not always heal without medical
treatment. At times, it progresses to a life threatening complication called dengue
hemorrhagic fever. With this progression, blood vessels begin to leak serum and
blood, damaging your lungs, liver and heart. You can develop serious bleeding
from your nose and mouth, and bleeding deep inside your body can cause
bruising to appear on your skin. You can develop what doctors call shock when
your blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels. Without prompt medical
care, the condition can rapidly become life threatening, especially if it occurs
children and young adults.
If you live in, or have recently traveled to, a warm, moist climate, you should
know what to do if you develop mild but suspicious symptoms. Unfortunately,
there is no specific treatment. Drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration due
to vomiting and high fever is helpful, and pain medicines that you can buy without
a prescription can help control the pain and reduce your fever.
If, however, symptoms of infection fail to improve and continue to progress in
severity, you need evaluation by a doctor. Diagnosing dengue fever can be
difficult because its symptoms are easily confused with those of other, more
common diseases. Tell the doctor of your recent travels, and about any contact
you have recently had with mosquitoes. Hospitalization for the proper treatment
of your infection may become necessary. You may need fluids by vein to treat
your dehydration. If bleeding develops, blood transfusions may even be required.
Aggressive treatment by experienced physicians and nurses can decrease the
death rate of severe infections from more than 20% to less than 1%.
If you live in a warm, moist climate at-risk for developing a dengue fever
epidemic, what can you do to avoid becoming infected? No vaccine has yet been
developed to protect against this virus infection, and antibiotics will not heal viral
infections. At present, the best way to control your risk of infection is to control
the mosquitoes themselves. Improve your home’s protection by installing
mosquito barriers such as window and door screens, and keep those screens
repaired. Also, prevent mosquitoes from breeding and laying their eggs. Get rid
of mosquito breeding grounds such as the water standing in flowerpots,
birdbaths, oil drums and discarded automobile tires. Dispose of solid waste
properly. Cover water storage containers, and clean them on a regular basis.
Finally, apply appropriate insecticides to outdoor water storage containers.
If you travel to a tropical area, you can reduce your personal risk of dengue fever
infection by staying in a room that is air-conditioned or screened in, and by
keeping doors and unscreened windows closed. Unlike other mosquitoes, the
mosquitoes that carry the dengue fever virus feed during daytime hours. Their
peak biting times are early in the morning and in the evening before dusk, so it is
particularly important to avoid being outdoors during those times of day. When
you do go outdoors, wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, socks and shoes, and
apply mosquito repellent if it is available in your area. The same kind of effort will
be required to control dengue fever as was required to conquer yellow fever a
century ago.
Health Nuggets is written by Dr. Richard Yukl, a medical doctor working in the
United States. The medical views expressed in this program are his and may
differ for your particular health needs. If you need medical advice, please consult
a medical professional in your area.