Dengue virus has 4 serotypes: DEN1, DEN2, DEN3, DEN4. The first infection called Primary Infection which might not give out any symptom as in the body there is immune system goes against the virus about 6-12 months. For another infection comes after called Secondary infection which instigate to more severity and complication.
“Mosquitoes” Carrier of The Disease
Dengue is caused by female Aedes aegypti, a carrier. When they go bite people the disease then transferred through the body. The incubation takes about 2-10 days.
Who are at Risk?
Children who are not infants or younger than 2 years old. However, for infants they receive antibodies through breast milk. Children always have daytime sleep that is one of channel for the mosquitoes carrying the disease come to bite and make it transmitted. Actually no matter what how old you are there is still a possibility for you to be infected by the mosquito.
Symptoms and Signs
Patients with dengue infection main symptoms are high fever, headache, muscle pain. bone pain with red spots on skin. The symptoms are divided into 3 stages as follows:
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- Body temperature will rise over 38.5 Degrees Celsius quickly within 2 to 7 days, some may have seizures. Patients often have red face, anorexia, do coughing, vomiting, liver enlargement, pain, rash spread on the skin, body, arms, legs, armpits due to brittle blood vessels or the Tourniquet test. In addition, the spot where bleeding is seen will be found patients may have nosebleed, gum-bleed and black stool.
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- Crisis condition: During this symptom the temperature decreases rapidly causing patients feeling restless with cold feet and hands, the lips turn dark green. Certain of them suffer from abdominal pain before the shock. Pulse rate slightly pumps whilst blood pressure goes low. If the patients are not treated in time they could be dead within 12-24 hrs. On the contrary, in those with mild symptoms after the fever decreased everything will be stable and healed sometime might have sweat on palms with cold feet shortly. However, that is a sign of being save in addition, they will also start being hungry and want to have some foods.
- Recovery period: Generally the symptoms will clearly be improved blood pressure and pulse reamin normal. The enlarged liver will be smaller within 1-2 weeks, usually patients will have rash on legs, hands, and feet along with being itchy.
How to Take Care of Dengue Patients
Currently there is no medicine that can kill the virus most of doctors provide palliative treatment on basis of symptoms as follows:
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- Wipe the body by cloth to prevent patients from seizures.
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- Provide paracetamol and the most important thing is “Never use aspirin or any type of pill similar with it” as they instigate to irritation in the stomach which lead to bleeding innerly.
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- Give the patient fluid supplementary as most of the patients have high fever, feeling of anorexia, vomiting and fatigue. Suggest them to drink mineral water more often.
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- Provide soft food or diet hospital food which is digestible.
- When you are suspected of people in a house having the dengue fever due to the signs such as body temperature over 38.5 degrees Celsius for more than 2 days or having facial red,inflamed throat, headache and pain in the socket. These require the patients to see the doctor as fast as possible.
Prevention
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- Prevent yourself from being by the mosquito, sleeping on Bed with Mosquito Net even during the day.
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- Getting rids of mosquito breeding by removing the larvae in containers and pouring salt and vinegar to the pantry plate.
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- Close the container lid firmly such as the water tank.
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- Always change or dispose the water containers to prevent the mosquitoes from laying eggs.
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- Destroys debris such as can or bottles to keep it from accumulating the water.
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- Having fish eat the mosquito larvae.
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- Cut the tree out of some areas to make the light comes in as well as air flowing.
- Protect yourself from being bite by mosquitoes by checking a cleanliness of a window or door including rooms do not forget to put on anti-mosquito product such as cream or spray.
Pediatric Center
Phyathai 2 Hospital , Building B, 2nd Floor
Call +662-617-2444 ext. 3219-3220
