Mosquito-borne Diseases, Dengue Blogs March 26, 2019

Know the Warning Signs And Symptoms of Dengue Fever

With the on-set of Summer, we now have to be ready with preventive measures of all the possible dreadful diseases especially the ones which are caused by mosquitoes. While Chikungunya has not proved to be very fatal, Dengue surely has claimed lives of many individuals in the recent past.

• The dengue fever was first detected in the year 1789 by B. Rush. Few facts for you to know:
• People in China had described the virus associated with “flying insects” in 420 AD.
• People in Africa described the virus as “ka dinga pepo” a seizure caused by an evil spirit.
• People in Spain called it “dinga” which means careful in Spanish.

What are the factors causing the increase of the Dengue virus?

• Commercialization in the urban & metro areas which have now become a breeding ground for mosquitoes
• Environmental changes
• International travellers who come to the country & have been infected earlier

Early Dengue symptoms:

The signs and symptoms of dengue and chikungunya are very similar and hence, it becomes confusing for people to understand the difference between both viruses. Some of the early dengue fever symptoms are:

• At times, the fever can go as high as 104 degree Fahrenheit
• Joint pain and muscle pain
• Skin Rashes
• Conjunctivitis
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Restlessness

Diagnosis

• In case of any of the early dengue symptoms, the first thing one needs to do is take a blood test
• In case of positive results, please show it to the doctor on time to ensure timely treatment.

Complications

• Blood pressure can drop to dangerous levels resulting in brain hemorrhage
• The virus if severe can also damage the lungs and heart

Prevention

After a lot of research put in by doctors all over the globe, there is one medicine that has been approved recently called Dengvaxia. However, it is only for those in the age group of 9 to 45. The WHO however, states that there is no guarantee that it can fully treat the disease. What is important is prevention as it is any day better than a cure. It is important to make some changes in the surroundings that will reduce the population of mosquitoes. The best thing to do is to avoid venturing in an area which is inhabited by mosquitoes.

Some care to be taken every day:

• Know when to be indoors & outdoors: The female mosquitoes known for spreading the dengue virus are active from dawn to dusk. Of course, nothing stops them from biting at night but for that, you can always stay protected with Goodknight Fast card; helping in shooing them away.

• Wear protective clothing: Ensure that you are fully covered while going out in mosquito-infested areas. In case of heading for a party or going down to play, use the Goodknight Fabric Roll-On. Just 4 dots will keep the pests away.

• Keep the surroundings clean: If you have any areas in the house where there is still water lying around, clean it immediately. That proves to be a dwelling place for mosquitoes where they lay eggs and multiply their population. Water from plant containers, flower vases, animal dishes should be changed every day.