What is dengue fever?

Dengue fever is caused by viruses which are transmitted by mosquitoes. Basically it is an acute illness that follows fever, headache, exhaustion, severe joint pain, rash, swollen glands and muscle pain. The presence of rash, fever and headache are characteristic dengue fever symptoms.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is actually a severe, deadly infection that is spread by certain species of mosquitoes. It tends to affect the children under 10 and causes abdominal pain, hemorrhage and circulatory collapse. It can also be called Philipine, Thai, or Southeast Asian hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.

Causes

As four different dengue viruses cause dengue hemorrhagic fever, it mostly occurs when a person catches a different type of dengue virus after being infected by another. Risk factors include:

• Having antibodies to dengue virus from prior infection
• Female, younger than 12

Symptoms

Early symptoms are similar to those of dengue fever. Patient becomes irritable, restless and sweaty after several days. Minor injuries can cause bleeding. Bleeding may appear as larger spots or tiny spots of blood on the skin.

These symptoms may cause shock which leads to death but if the patient survives, recovery begins after one-day.

Early symptoms may include:

• Vomiting
• Muscle aches
• Malaise
• Joint aches
• Headache
• Fever
• Decreased appetite

Symptoms of acute phase include:

• Restlessness
• Larger patches of blood under the skin
• Tiny spots of blood on the skin
• Generalized rash
• Shock-like state
• Cool and humid extremities
• Sweatiness

How to prevent dengue fever?

There is no specific antibiotic to treat dengue fever as it is caused by virus rather it is concerned with the relief of symptoms. Important precautionary measures include complete rest and fluid intake for adequate hydration.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin should be avoided.

Dengue does not result in death but if acute phase of the illness lasts about one to two weeks, it is accompanied by a feeling of weakness (asthenia) while full recovery takes several weeks.