What You Need to Know About Dengue Fever

While COVID-19 has been at the forefront of health news, recently dengue fever has resurfaced in certain regions and is potentially deadly. Dr.Baljinder Singh, General Practitioner and Head of the Emergency department explains what you need to know about dengue fever and how to avoid it altogether.

DEFINED

Dengue fever, explains Dr. Singh, is a mosquito-borne illness that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. He elaborates, “Mild dengue fever causes a high fever and flu-like symptoms. The severe form of dengue fever, also called dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause serious bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.”

REGION SPECIFIC

According to Dr. Singh, dengue fever is most common in Southeast Asia, the western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa. “But the disease has been spreading to new areas, including local outbreaks in Europe and southern parts of the United States,”

he says. “Factors believed to be responsible for the spread of dengue include an explosive population growth, unplanned urban overpopulation with inadequate public health systems, poor control of standing water and vectors, viral evolution, and increased international recreational, business, and military travel to endemic areas.”

SYMPTOMS AND RED FLAGS

On average, he points out that dengue becomes symptomatic after a 4-to-10-days incubation period, with a range of 3 to 14 days. “Dengue symptoms usually last 2 to 7 days,” he says, and symptoms in patients with dengue may include any of the following: fever, headache, retro-orbital pain, and/or severe myalgias (muscular pain, especially of the lower back, arms, and legs.) Other symptoms include arthralgias (joint pain, usually of the knees and shoulders), nausea and vomiting (diarrhea is rare), rash, which he says is a maculopapular or macular confluent rash over the face, thorax, and flexor surfaces, with islands of skin sparing. There may also be weakness, malaise, and lethargy, as well as an altered taste sensation, sore throat, or even anorexia. “There may also be mild hemorrhagic manifestations, for example, petechiae, bleeding gums, epistaxis, menorrhagia, or hematuria, as well as lymphadenopathy,” he tells.

COVID-19 VERSUS DENGUE FEVER

Dr.Singh points out that both COVID-19 and dengue fever are viral illnesses and can have similar symptoms and both have high morbidity and mortality if left untreated. “Serious COVID-19 mostly causes serious respiratory illness and dengue fever can cause bleeding complications.” Dengue fever is typically a selflimiting disease with a mortality rate of less than one percent. When treated, dengue hemorrhagic fever has a mortality rate of two to five percent, he says. “When left untreated, dengue hemorrhagic fever has a mortality rate as high as 50 percent,” he says, and survivors usually recover without sequelae and develop immunity to the infecting serotype. Complications and sequelae of dengue virus infections are rare, but may include the following: cardiomyopathy, seizures, encephalopathy, and viral encephalitis, liver injury, depression, and/or pneumonia.

TREATMENT FOR DENGUE FEVER

No specific treatment for dengue fever exists, tells Dr. Singh. “While recovering from dengue fever, drink plenty of fluids; and you may take paracetamol for fever and body-pain, but avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen as it may increase risk of bleeding,” he says. “Consult a doctor if you have any of the following signs and symptoms of dehydration: decreased urination, few or no tears, dry mouth or lips, lethargy or confusion, or cold or clammy extremities.”

PRECAUTIONARY ADVICE

Dr. Singh strongly urges to be aware, especially those who have experienced prior dengue fever, to avoid mosquito bites, including the use of appropriate mosquito repellants, and peridomestic vector control, when traveling to dengue-endemic areas. H