India being a tropical country starting from the month of June experiences the onset of rains. This is further increased to varying levels in different parts of the country till August & sometimes September. Rains though bring down the high summery temperatures but the number of mosquitoes is bound to increase. This is also why there is a rise in the number of Malaria and Dengue occurrence cases heard.
For malaria already there is a lot of awareness among the common people but when it comes to Dengue there is a lot of misconception about this ailment. So in this article, we will be discussing all you wanted to know about Dengue fever in India like its symptoms, prevention & cure.
According to W.H.O., in 2015, Delhi, India, recorded its worst outbreak since 2006 with over 15 000 cases. As per some reports, the instances of Dengue has increased in India in last decade.
List of Contents
What Causes Dengue?
Dengue fever, like Malaria, is a vector-borne viral infection. Here the vector is generally Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito as it is commonly called) in the urban areas. The same mosquito also is a vector for other viruses which cause Chikungunya, Zika fever and more. While Ae. albopictus is also found as a vector in few areas of southern and eastern parts of India. The bite of Dengue virus-carrying Aedes mosquito causes Dengue fever in Human beings. There are different types of Dengue fever read more about it here. Though a vaccine has been developed, as per National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI. ) till 2017 it was not approved by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Dengue Fever Symptoms:
Dengue symptoms in adults generally start appearing after 4 to 7 days of the mosquito bite. The symptoms can prolong for 3 to 10 days. With each passing day, the condition of patient constantly deteriorates without a proper medical attention. So the earlier it gets detected the patient can also cure fast.
Dengue fever starts from a mild flu-like fever and body ache and then in some cases can worsen to DHF that is Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever or Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). The latter two conditions can be potentially life-threatening.
Symptoms of Mild Dengue Fever are a severe headache, high fever, muscle & joint pain, reappearing body rash, pain in eyes etc.
While in DHF, weak pulse, bleeding from the mouth, gums, or nose, internal bleeding, possibly leading to black vomit and faeces, decreasing number of blood platelets and more happens.
Dengue Shock Syndrome comes as a shock to the body of the patient. So apart from the symptoms persisting in Mild Dengue Fever, the patient feels disoriented, falling blood pressure, heavy bleeding, regular stomach pain and vomiting.
Some Myths About Dengue Fever:
- Dengue fever is quite similar to Malaria. No, it is not. So proper treatment is required at an earliest for the former.
- Dengue does not occur in Urban areas: In fact, it can happen anywhere cause the Aedes mosquito can even hide in pots and near plants, washroom cisterns etc.
- Dengue does not occur in the dry season: Aedes mosquito can survive in 16 degrees and above temperatures. So they can well survive and exist in dry seasons as well and spread the disease.
- Papaya Juice is a cure for Dengue: Papaya juice is helpful in increasing the blood platelet count only. For the cure, proper medical consultation and monitoring are advised.
Prevention from Dengue Fever in India:
Since the Dengue fever is a vector-borne disease the situation can be handled by controlling the number of mosquitoes near the home, gardens and public areas.
- Aedes mosquito breeds in clean water accumulated at a place so the best solution is to remove any unnecessary items in the living place that can collect fresh water especially in the washroom, near the AC vents, Planters etc.
- Fumigation and use of proper insecticides for large water bodies like water tanks etc.
- For personal protection from mosquito bites, mash doors and windows can be installed in the home, wearing of body covering clothes especially at places where the mosquito bites are common like in garden areas. Use of mosquito repellent roll-ons and indoor repellents like Goodknight that is available in the market, effective & easy to use both for children and adults.
- For people who show the signs and symptoms of dengue, medical treatment should be provided as soon as possible. Also, hydration needs to be taken care of the patient.
- Self-treatment should be strictly avoided in case of Dengue fever.
Very informative post.. The prevention of dengue fever requires control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue
Thanks for the detailed article about the causes, symptoms and prevention of dengue.
this was truly much needed this season… actually identifying dengue is so important and many people even dnt know that..
Thank you for sharing this elaborate post. Dengue fever has become a known menace these days, it’s important to have complete knowledge about it. Again monsoon is a time which increases the probability of it’s occurrence.
Very detailed post. Being a Doctor, felt nice to read such post by bloggers spreading awareness.
Prevention is always better than cure. But it is good to know the symptoms and the myths as well. Very useful post.
Hi, its a very informative post. Dengue is really an evil. I also use a mosquito roll on by goodnight. Great post
Amazing and informative post. Prevention is better than cure. Great thoughts on dengue fever.
Very informative post.. i agree its good to know symptoms and take preventive measures
This is such an informative article , prevention is better than cure is a must to remember .
Thanks for sharing this detailed post , dengue is the most scary disease and we need more awareness for this.
For Dengue, a great guide when it is spreading in Delhi and more so as the monsoon season is right there at the door.
Monsoon is a beautiful season but it also brings dengue and other such deadly diseases. Thank you for writing this wonderful article. It will create awareness.
Dengue has taken so many lives due to improper medication! Your post was really informative and helpful!
This was such an informative post, I had few myths and they are bursted now with this post!
This is such an informative post about dengue.Nowadays, there’s a lot of people died because of dengue causes.
This is one such fever which has challenged even the strongest of sciences. Caution and hygiene around is the best solution. Keep and stay safe. Thank you for sharing such detailed post.
I am using Goodknight roll on whenever my kid go in park. It is very effective .it has strong smell but it smell make mosquitoes run
Dengue is 1 fatal disease my mother had been through that phase and I can’t even forget it was a nightmare one has to be very careful during the rainy season especially about dengue and this post is very insightful sharing it further
This is such a helpful post regarding Dengue. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing such an elaborate post on Dengue Fever. Prevention is always better than cure. It’s better to have a full knowledge about this fever so the symptoms can be spotted quickly..
It’s that time of the year when this disease starts up all over again so a great time for people to read up on it.
This is so useful and informative post I read today.really knowledgeable
My husband suffered dengue in 2016 when we visited India on. A. Holiday and. It was terrible. High fevers and chills and it leads to weakness. Hydrating yourself is very important..using mosquito repellents is very important..
my nephew fell ill to dengue last year and was hospitalized. so i can vouch its not simple, it was a horrific experience for all of us.
I was not aware of so many facts about Dengue fever, thanks for sharing this detailed informative post. And yes, now that monsoon has already hit the Northerm India, there has been a rise in number of mosquitoes too. I am also using GoodKnight roll on for my son whenever he goes out to the park.
Very informative and useful Post. Must read for any new parent these days. Esp when the summer is almost waving a bye
The way dengue is being such a big problem in households…it is a must we should educate
Thankyou so much ?????