Initial Symptoms of Dengue
What is Dengue Fever?
A mosquito-borne disease called dengue fever affects tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Dengue infections affect millions of people each year globally. Southeast Asia is the region with the most dengue cases.
Dengue is not contagious from person to person, unless it is passed from a pregnant mother to her unborn child.
Dengue Fever Duration
Flu-like symptoms associated with dengue might last for two to seven days. Normally, dengue fever appears 4 to 10 days after the victim was bitten by an infected mosquito.
Signs and Symptoms of Dengue Fever
Many dengue patients never exhibit any symptoms at all. When symptoms do manifest, they typically start four to ten days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and may be confused for other ailments, like the flu.
Dengue fever may cause any of the following symptoms in addition to a high fever of 104 F (40 C):
- Eye pain
- Muscle pain
- Bone or joint pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Swollen glands
- Rash
Most people get better in about a week. In some cases, symptoms could worsen or even prove fatal. It is referred to as severe dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever, or dengue shock syndrome.
Severe Dengue
Severe dengue affects roughly 1 in every 20 people who develop the disease. Shock, internal hemorrhage, and even death are all possible outcomes of severe dengue. You are more prone to have severe dengue if you have previously had dengue. The risk of severe dengue is increased in infants and pregnant women.
Symptoms of Severe Dengue
Keep an eye out for severe dengue symptoms and indications. After your fever has subsided for 24-48 hours, warning signs typically start to appear.
If you or a member of your family exhibits any of the symptoms listed below, visit an urgent care facility or emergency hospital immediately.
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting (at least three times a day)
- Nose or mouth bleeding
- Blood in the stool or vomit, along with fatigue, restlessness, or irritability
With severe dengue, your blood vessels are compromised and start to leak. The number of platelets in your blood also declines. Shock, internal bleeding, organ failure, and even death could result from this.
Dengue Fever Causes
When a mosquito bites you and spreads the disease, the dengue virus can get into your blood and multiply. The virus itself and the immune system’s response could make you feel sick.
The virus can damage blood components that help your blood clot and give your blood vessels structure. This can make your blood seep out of your vessels and cause internal bleeding, along with some substances that your immune system produces.
Dengue Fever Treatment
Dengue cannot be treated with a single drug. You should visit a hospital close by or consult a doctor right away if you suspect you have dengue fever. Additionally, you ought to get enough rest and drinks. Get to a hospital near you right away to be assessed for complications if you start to feel worse in the first 24 hours after your fever has subsided.
Dengue Diagnostic Test
Blood tests to look for the virus or antibodies to it can help doctors find the source of dengue infection. You can get the dengue diagnostic test done from any of the MMI laboratories in Karachi or MMI laboratories near you. You can check the price of a dengue test in Karachi here.
Preventing Dengue Fever
Avoiding mosquito bites is the greatest approach to avoid contracting dengue fever, especially if you reside in or are visiting a tropical region. To do this, precautions must be taken, and the mosquito population must be decreased.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors
- Use insect repellents, even indoors
- Check that the screens on your windows and doors are solid and free of holes
- Use mosquito netting
- Consult your doctor if you experience dengue symptoms
Get rid of mosquito breeding sites to lower the mosquito population. Old tires, cans, and flower pots that catch rain are a few examples.