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While summer brings with it the joy of the holiday season, seasonal illnesses, such as dengue, rapidly spread their wings too. A mosquito-borne viral disease, dengue infects people in the summer and the rainy season due to the increasing menace of mosquitoes in these months. According to the latest report by the Maharashtra health department, at least 348 cases of dengue have been reported in the state in the past three months. In Delhi, on the other hand, the yearly tally stands at 69 with eight fresh cases in the last week.
“Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a severe flu-like illness that affects all age groups,” Dr Col Vijay Dutta, senior consultant-internal medicine, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre said. While in most people, the fever passes off at its own course, it can cause serious complications like hemorrhagic fever, bleeding from the nose and gums, liver enlargement and even circulatory system failure, Dr Dutta explained.
Symptoms
Apart from the commonly-known symptoms such as high fever, cold and cough, here are some other symptoms accompanying the viral infection.
*Pain in muscles and joints
*Rashes in the body
*Severe headache
*Discomfort behind the eyes
*Vomiting and feeling nauseous
Causes
The primary vectors that transmit the disease are Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus. “With the absence of any credible vaccine against the disease yet, prevention from mosquitoes remains the most important course. Unlike other mosquitoes, the dengue virus carrier is mostly a day-biter and is believed to be most active during dawn and dusk time. The symptoms of the disease usually begin within seven days of the bite,” the expert told indianexpress.com.
He added that children older than six years of age are most likely to be infected by this mosquito-borne pathogen.
Treatment and prevention
Timely medical attention and supervision are known to prevent the risk of complications arising from the disease. “For milder forms of dengue, basic care includes keeping fever under control and consuming a lot of fluids to re-hydrate the body’s lost hydration. At the same time, keeping a check on the patient’s platelet count keeps the doctors informed about any need for blood transmission.”
According to Dr Dutta, the only way to control or prevent the transmission of dengue is to “stop the breeding of mosquitoes as much as possible through a series of measures”. He suggested the following ways to keep mosquito breeding in check.
*Domestic water storage containers: Cover, empty and clean the water tanks, coolers or flower pots on a weekly basis. Don’t let water stagnate at any place.
*Solid waste: Dispose of kitchen and garden residuals on an everyday basis. Don’t let even solid waste stand in a place for a long time.
*Scents: Avoid using strong perfumes and soaps as they attract mosquitoes.
*Mosquito nets: Use mosquito nets while sleeping as this is the most sure-shot way to prevent bites.
*Personal protection measures: Adhere to personal protection measures such as wearing long-sleeved clothes, repellents and vaporisers. Keeping window shields down to prevent mosquitoes from entering is very important.
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