The mosquito-borne illness of dengue begins non-specifically as fever but may progress to thenearly fatal, hemorrhagic disease, which is why it needs to be promptly diagnosed by General Physician. The symptoms of dengue begin shortly after the mosquito bites, and may last up to 10 days. Read on to know more about the symptoms, diagnosis and management of dengue:

What are the symptoms of dengue?

As mentioned before, dengue begins about four days after mosquito bite with non-specific fever, which may be mistaken for flu.The high-grade fever of dengue is accompanied by bone pain, headache, swollen glands, rash and retro-orbital pain. Dengue is also known as bone-breaking fever because of the pain in the joints it causes.

In severe dengue, the symptoms worsen and can turn into dengue hemorrhagic or dengue shock syndrome. Both the forms are life-threatening without proper treatment. Warning signs of severe dengue are: very low platelet count, weak pulse, severe stomach pain, bleeding under the skin, bleeding from gums, rapid breathingand persistent vomiting.

Severe dengue is a medical emergency, warranting admission and complete work-up of the patient.

How is dengue diagnosed?

Dengue is similar in presentation to many other diseases, and the diagnosis is confirmed through a blood test. The bloodtest checks for the presence of the dengue or the antibodies to the virus. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the healthcare provider treats it as such.

What are the treatment options?

The management of dengue is mostly supportive. There is no specific medication that shortens the duration of the disease or fights the dengue virus. Pain relievers, along with fever reduces like acetaminophen are the mainstay of treatment. Anti-platelet fever reducers like aspirin are avoided as the virus lowers the platelets itself. Taking the latter can induce spontaneous bleeding.

Emergency care is mandated for anyone with dehydration or when there is spontaneous bleeding. Dengue can turn into dengue shock syndrome without fluid resuscitation. Your healthcare provider will choose fluids like ringer’s lactate or normal saline to manage the fluid leakage in the capillaries.

How to prevent dengue?

Where the illness is common, there are vaccines available; however, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) these vaccines are not an effective tool on their own. Use of mosquito repellants and reducing mosquito habitats remain the best way to prevent dengue.

During the endemic, its best to stay indoors at dawn and dusk as this is when the mosquitoes are most active. If one has to remain outdoors, one should wear clothing with least exposure—like long-sleeved shirt, pants and socks. A mosquito repellant with permethrin can be applied to the clothing, as well, while one with DEETis used for the skin.

Dengue mosquitos breed in clean water, which is why stagnant water in and around houses should not be allowed. Water can collect in vessels such as animal dishes, planting containers, flower vases and automobile tires. Atleast once a week, these containers and possible sites where they lay eggs, should be emptied to lower their population.

What to do if you think you have dengue?

If you think you have dengue, get tested immediately. Once the results are back, seek help from a healthcare provider like Best General Physician in Islamabad. During the fever, rest as much as possible and take acetaminophen, also called paracetamol.In the disease duration, more than two liters of oral fluids should be taken, ideally with oral rehydrating salts (ORS). These salts maintain the electrolytes and prevent dehydration. Mild symptoms can be treated at home, but watch out for the warning symptoms and rush to the hospital at the first sign of severity.

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