Nowadays dengue fever is a serious disease that is spread out epidemic. Every day many people die from dengue fever.  

Dengue is one of the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral diseases in the world. The last 50 years has witnessed a 30-fold increase with rapid expansion to new countries and, in the present decade, from urban to rural settings. An estimated 50 million dengue infections occur annually and about 2.5 billion people live in dengue endemic areas. The first case of probable dengue fever (DF) was recorded in a Chinese medical encyclopedia from the Jin Dynasty (265–420 AD) which referred to as “water poison” associated with flying insects.

There have been descriptions of epidemics in the 17th century, but the most plausible early reports of dengue epidemics occurred between 1779 and 1780, when an epidemic swept through Asia, Africa and North America. From that time until 1940, epidemics were infrequent. Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, results from a mosquito-borne viral infection.

It can lead to severe illness in some cases.  Symptoms of dengue fever will depend on the severity of the disease. Around 75% of people (Trusted Source) with dengue fever will not experience symptoms. Mild symptoms If symptoms occur, there may be a sudden fever of around 104°F (40°C) (Trusted Source) with one or more of the following:

• aching muscles and joints • rash • pain behind the eyes • nausea and vomiting • facial flushing • sore throat • headache • red eyes The symptoms typically last between 2–7 days  and most people feel better­ after one week. The fever may spike, go away for 24 hours (Trusted Source) then spike again.  Severe symptoms Between 0.5% and 5% of cases of dengue fever become severe. If this happens, it can be life threatening. First, the fever typically falls to 99.5 to 100.4°F (37.5 to 38°C). Severe symptoms may then appear 24–48 hours later, or around 3–7 days after the person starts to feel unwell. They include: • abdominal pain or tenderness • vomiting at least three times in 24 hours • bleeding from the nose or gums • vomiting blood • blood in the stool • fatigue • feeling restless or irritable • changes in temperature from very hot to very cold • cold, clammy skin • a weak and rapid pulse • a reduced difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure Anyone with severe symptoms needs immediate medical attention. According to WHO, the disease of dengue has become a global concern, which has been reported from 200 countries , the largest number of endemic countries were India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Singapore , Pakistan, China and Peru. To cure a dengue patient prevention is a better means. The following are the preventive measures to be adopted in this regard.

Containers should be covered to prevent mosquitoes and flies from their access and laying eggs. Both air-conditioner and air cooler need to be kept neat and clean so that mosquitoes cannot take shelter there. The portable water pitchers and containers should be kept upside down. Mosquito bite should be checked by ringing up the curtail or mosquito net or using mosquito repellents.  People should be especially careful about both at morning and at evening. People of all classes should be made alert and awareness should be created among them so that they may keep their home and home site neat and clean. But in case of a seriously dengue attacked patient, he should immediately be taken to a hospital or health clinic/complex for proper treatment. The first aid can be managed as a primary treatment.  Papaya leaves juice is good for dengue fever. Symptoms may disappear after some days but still cause a hamper to health.

Take treatment at the appropriate time for permanently realizing it. The govt. and the community must be more proactive about controlling the sources of the dengue in order to avoid its curse. The future challenge would be as to how we deploy these newer tools. A global strategy aimed at increasing the capacity for surveillance and outbreak response, changing behaviors and reducing the disease burden using integrated vector management in conjunction with early and accurate diagnosis has been advocated. Antiviral drugs and vaccines that are currently under development could also make an important contribution to dengue control in the future.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 17 2022

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