Symptoms of dengue fever are rising day by day and the WHO has reported an increase in cases from 505,430 cases in 2000 to over 2.4 million in 2010 as well as 5.2 million in 2019.
The number of reported deaths increased from 960 in 2000 to 4032 in 2015, largely impacting younger age groups. In 2020 and 2021, both the overall number of illnesses and the number of recorded deaths appeared to be declining.
Dengue fever can range from an asymptomatic infection to a serious illness. The picture below illustrates how the dengue virus manifests clinically.
![Dengue fever: Clinical presentation](https://wisdomhunting.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Dengue-Virus-Infection-1024x576.jpg)
To know more about the symptoms of dengue fever, its causes, prevention, diagnostic tests, and treatment, bear with me till the end of this article.
What is Dengue?
Dengue is also known as break-bone fever. It is a mosquito-borne disease found in tropical and subtropical regions.
Aedes mosquitoes, specifically Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, are the vectors of the viral disease dengue, which can spread from one person to another.
What are the causes of Dengue?
The bite of a female Aedes mosquito causes dengue fever. Undoubtedly, there are four kinds of dengue viruses —dengue-1, dengue-2, dengue-3, and dengue-4 and are all RNA viruses that are part of the Flaviviridae family.
Additionally, it can spread through organ donation and the use of contaminated blood products.
What are the symptoms of Dengue fever?
Mosquitoes transmit dengue fever, and the symptoms of dengue fever may last for 2 to 7 days after the viral infection.
The symptoms of dengue fever are as follows:
- High grade fever (above 100oc)
- Nausea/vomiting
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Rashes
- Abdominal pain
- Myalgia
- Blurring vision
- Loss of vision
- Retroocular pain
- Difficulty in breathing
- Diarrhea
![Dengue fever symptoms](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1000/1*V3lXM6wFVJ9bLEpmEkFo5w.png)
How much time does it take to cure dengue?
Dengue fever appears after an incubation period of 5 to 7 days. However, there are three stages of dengue fever: the febrile, critical, and convalescent (or recovery) phases.
![](https://wisdomhunting.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Dengue-fever-phases-1-1024x493.jpg)
1.Febrile phase:
The febrile phase started after the incubation period therefore the incubation period lasts for 5 to 7 days.
Fever, malaise, headaches, muscle pain, and vomiting are the symptoms of the febrile phase. During the febrile phase of dengue fever, the patient should rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take medications.
Dengue fever in the febrile phase is biphasic. It can occur twice in some patients. If these patients with severe dengue fever do not recover from the febrile stage, they progress to the critical stage.
2. Critical phase:
In the critical phase, complicated symptoms such as mouth bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, and plasma leakage also increase, leading to hypotension, organ dysfunction, and hemoconcentration.
3. Convalescent phase or recovery phase:
Once you get through the critical phase of dengue fever, the patient enters the recovery phase.
The recovery period lasts between two to four days. In this stage, a dengue fever patient starts to recover and goes symptom-free.
What Are the Warning Signs of Dengue Fever?
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Thrombocytopenia
- Difficulty in breathing
- Lethargy or restlessness
- Joint pain
- Severe headache
- Hemorrhagic rashes
How to prevent dengue fever?
To prevent dengue, fever, some countries offer the Dengvaxia vaccine, which is a dengue prevention medication recommended by the FDA for use in children ages 9 to 16, and which helps to develop passive immunity.
Secondly, replace the water in a closed tank. Use mosquito repellants to kill it. Your children should wear full clothing in order to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
How is dengue fever diagnosed?
Particularly, there are two simple blood tests are used to diagnose dengue fever.
1. NAAT test:
The NAAT test is a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test. Moreover, it treats acute viral infections. This test is performed to detect the RNA within five days of symptom onset.
2. NS1 antigen test:
The NS1 antigen test is used to detect nonstructural protein antigens such as IgG and IgM.
These antigens help to replicate DENV in the host cell. However, this NS1 test requires after two days of dengue fever symptoms.
If both IgM and IgG are positive during this test, it indicates the existence of dengue. Likewise, if IgM is positive but IgG is negative, it indicates the presence of dengue. However, if IgM is negative but IgG is positive, it indicates the patient did have dengue in the past.
What are the complications of dengue fever?
Long-term dengue fever can result in acute renal injury, neuromuscular difficulties, low blood pressure, organ failures, plasma leakage, fluid retention, and respiratory distress.
Additionally, hemorrhagic rash results in the breakdown of platelets; in such cases, please visit your doctor because it may lead to death.
What are the treatment options for dengue fever?
Treatment for dengue fever depends on the disease phase of the patient. Although there are no specific treatment options for dengue fever, doctors prescribe medications based on the symptoms of the disease.
Paracetamol is used to treat dengue fever, but drugs like aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, or diclofenac) aren’t used because of the high risk of bleeding.
Altogether, hospitalization is necessary for people with diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, and severe dengue fever.
The course of treatment also includes intravenous fluids and the replenishment of electrolytes lost.
Here are some home remedies used to reduce the symptoms of dengue fever:
If the symptoms of dengue fever are mild, they can be managed at home.
- Fever: To relieve fever, take paracetamol (acetaminophen) tablet.
2. Prevent dehydration: Drink as much water as you can to avoid dehydration. Coconut water, ORS, and watermelon juice are all excellent sources of hydration.
3. Papaya juice extract: Papaya juice extract helps the patient’s body maintain a healthy platelet count.
4. Giloy leaf juice extract: The use of giloy leaf juice extract lowers the risk of dengue fever. It aids in the development of your immune system.
5. Aloe vera leaves extract: Aloe vera is used to increase platelet count and enhance the digestive system.
6. Pomegranate fruit: Pomegranate fruit contains a lot of iron and helps raise the platelet count.
Note: Please contact your doctor if a patient has severe dengue fever symptoms. Never control it at home.
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