Dengue fever is a viral infection spread from person to person by the bites of mosquitoes, which attack in timings between 6:00 AM-9:00 AM and 4:00 PM-10:00 PM. People who become infected produce antibodies in response to the virus.
FDA-approved new test detects the IgM class of these antibodies in the blood of infected people, and a positive result aids in the diagnosis of a person with characteristic signs and symptoms.
High fever, severe body pain, itching, red spots, bleeding from nose, teeth and severe pain behind the eyes are the distinguishing symptoms. Warning signs for severe disease which predispose to dengue hemorrhagic shock are abdominal pain, ongoing vomiting, liver enlargement, mucosal bleeding, high hematocrit with low platelets and lethargy.
Patients should use Paracetamol only, never use Dispirin.
As there is no vaccine for dengue virus, so precaution is mandatory, this is done by reducing open collections of water through environmental modification is the preferred method of control, given the concerns of negative health effect from insecticides and greater logistical difficulties with control agents. People can prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers the skin, using mosquito netting while resting, and/or the application of insect repellent.
DR SAIF UR REHMAN
Islamabad
