General description
Dengue is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, and occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Mild dengue can cause high fever and flu-like symptoms. A severe form of dengue, also called "dengue hemorrhagic fever," can cause heavy bleeding, sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
Symptoms
Many people do not have any signs or symptoms of a dengue infection.
It is possible that when the symptoms appear, they are confused with other diseases, such as the flu. They usually begin 4 to 10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.
Dengue fever causes a high fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) and any of the following signs and symptoms:
Headache
Muscle, bone or joint pains
Nausea
Vomiting
Pain behind the eyes
Swollen glands
Rash
Most people recover in about a week. In some cases, the symptoms worsen and can be fatal. This is called severe dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.
Severe dengue occurs when the blood vessels are damaged and leak, and when the number of clot-forming cells (platelets) in the bloodstream decreases. This can lead to a state of shock, internal bleeding, organ failure and even death.
Warning signs of severe dengue fever, which is a life-threatening emergency, can appear quickly. Warning signs usually begin one or two days after the fever disappears and may include the following:
Severe stomach pain
Persistent vomiting
Bleeding from the gums or nose
Blood in the urine, stool or vomiting
Bleeding under the skin, which could look like a bruise (hematoma)
Difficulty breathing or fast breathing
Fatigue
Irritability or restlessness
When to consult the doctor
Severe dengue fever is a deadly medical emergency. Seek medical attention immediately if you were recently in an area where dengue (endemic area) is known to be there, you had a fever and you show any of the warning signs.
Warning signs include severe stomach pain, vomiting, difficulty breathing or the presence of blood in the nose, gums, vomiting or stools. If you have recently traveled and have a fever and mild symptoms of dengue, call the doctor.
Causes
Dengue fever is caused by any of the four dengue viruses. You can't get dengue fever because you're close to an infected person. On the other hand, dengue fever is transmitted through mosquito bites.
The two types of mosquitoes that most often spread the dengue virus are common within and around human homes. When a mosquito bites a person infected with a dengue virus, the virus enters the mosquito. Then, when the infected mosquito bites another person, the virus enters the person's bloodstream and causes an infection.
When you recover from dengue fever, you will have long-term immunity to the type of virus that infected you, but not to the other three types of dengue fever virus. This means that you can get infected again in the future by one of the other three types of virus. The risk of developing severe dengue fever increases if you have dengue fever for the second, third or fourth time.
Risk factors
You are at greater risk of contracting dengue or a more serious form of the disease if:
You live in tropical regions or travel to them. Being in tropical and subtropical regions increases the risk of exposure to the virus that causes dengue. Among the most at-risk areas are Southeast Asia, the western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa.
You already had dengue. A previous infection with the dengue virus increases the risk of serious symptoms if you contract the disease again.
Complications
Severe dengue can cause internal bleeding and organ damage. Blood pressure can drop to dangerous levels and cause shock. In some cases, severe dengue can cause death.
Women who get dengue during pregnancy can spread the virus to the baby during labor. In addition, the babies of women who contract dengue during pregnancy have a higher risk of premature birth, low birth weight or fetal suffering.
Prevention
If you travel to areas where dengue is common or live there, the following tips will help you reduce the risk of mosquito bites:
It stays in air-conditioned environments and well protected with nets. Mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus are more active from dawn to dusk, but they also bite at night.
Wear protective clothing. When you enter a mosquito-infested area, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and shoes.
Use mosquito repellent. You can apply permethrin on clothes, shoes, camping equipment and bed nets. You can also buy clothes that already contain permethrin. For the skin, use a repellent that contains at least a concentration of 10% of diethyltoluamide.
It reduces the habitat of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that transmit the dengue virus normally live in and around homes and reproduce in stagnant waters that can accumulate in objects such as car tires. You can help reduce mosquito populations by eliminating the habitats where they lay eggs. At least once a week, empty and clean the containers with stagnant water, such as pots, animal feeders and vases. Keep the containers of stagnant water covered between one cleaning and the next.
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