2010

18th September, 2010

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
Of late, in the media, you must be reading or seeing a lot about the Dengue viral gripping parts of India .
This document is to help you have a quick understanding of the viral & the necessary precautions to take to
safeguard yourself and your family from the viral. Please take time to read it carefully. Also, please share it
with your peers, relatives and friends, do caution them on the seriousness & advice them to take necessary
precautions

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 Dengue (break bone fever) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

KEY FACTS

 Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection that causes a severe flu-like illness, and sometimes a potentially lethal complication called dengue
hemorrhagic fever.
 There are four closely related virus serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4) that can cause the disease. If you’ve been infected by
one type, you are not immune to the other three types and must take precautions to avoid another bout of dengue.
 There is no specific treatment for dengue, but appropriate medical care frequently saves the lives of patients with the more serious
dengue hemorrhagic fever.
 The only way to prevent dengue virus transmission is to combat the disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Transmission
 Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes.
 After virus incubation for eight to 10 days, an infected mosquito is capable, during probing and blood
feeding, of transmitting the virus for the rest of its life.
 Infected humans are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus, serving as a source of the virus for
uninfected mosquitoes.
 The virus circulates in the blood of infected humans for two to seven days, at approximately the
same time that they have a fever; Aedes mosquitoes may acquire the virus when they feed on an
individual during this period. WHO/TDR/Stammers

Characteristics of Dengue Fever

 Abrupt onset of high fever

 Severe frontal headache
 Pain behind the eyes which worsens with eye movement
 Muscle and joint pains
 Loss of sense of taste and appetite
 Measles like rash over chest and upper limbs
 Nausea and vomiting

Characteristics of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever & Shock

 Symptoms similar to dengue fever

 Severe and continuous stomach pains
 Pale, cold or clammy skin
 Bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums and skin bruising
 Frequent vomiting with or without blood
 Sleepiness and restlessness
 Constant crying
 Excessive thirst (dry mouth)
 Rapid weak pulse
 Difficulty in breathing
 Fainting

General Characteristics

 Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death.
 The clinical features of dengue fever vary according to the age of the patient.
 Infants and young children may have a fever with rash.
 Older children and adults may have either a mild fever or the classical incapacitating disease with abrupt onset and high fever, severe
headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rash.
 Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, often with enlargement of the
liver, and in severe cases circulatory failure.
 The dengue hemorrhagic fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 41°C, possibly with convulsions and other
complications.
 In moderate DHF cases, all signs and symptoms abate after the fever subsides. In severe cases, the patient's condition may suddenly
deteriorate after a few days of fever; the temperature drops, followed by signs of circulatory failure, and the patient may rapidly go
into a critical state of shock and die within 12 to 24 hours, or quickly recover following appropriate medical treatment.

Diagnosis and Treatment

 If you have symptoms described above and suspect you could have dengue, do NOT take Dispirin, as this is an anti-coagulant and
exacerbates internal and external bleeding. Crocin may be taken for fever, but do consult your physician.
 Seek the advice of your family physician, who may advise you to undergo a dengue serology test to confirm dengue.
 There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Only symptomatic treatment, such as Crocin, is available.
 Maintenance of the patient's circulating fluid volume is the central feature of DHF care and hospitalization is always required in DHF
cases.
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 Dengue (break bone fever) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

Where does the Denque mosquitoe breed

 Dengue mosquitoes breed in any water-catching or storage containers in shaded or sunny places. Favored breeding places are- Barrels,
drums, jars, pots, buckets, flower vases, plant saucers, tanks, cisterns, bottles, tins, tyres, pans, plant saucers and roof gutters,
refrigerator drip pans, catch basins, drains, soak-away pits, cement blocks, cemetery urns, plant leaf axils, bamboo stumps, tree cavities
and a lot more places where rainwater collects or is stored

Immunization

 There is no vaccine to protect against dengue.

Prevention and control

 The only effective method to prevent transmission is to combat the vector mosquitoes.
 Aedes aegypti breeds primarily in man-made containers like earthenware jars, metal drums and concrete cisterns used for domestic
water storage, as well as discarded plastic food containers, used automobile tyres and other items that collect rainwater. Be vigilant in
ensuring water does not collect in such containers or in water collection trays of AC’s and water coolers.
 Cover containers and dispose of solid waste in closed containers/bags to prevent access by egg-laying female mosquitoes. Do not allow
water to accumulate and become stagnant. Keep bathroom floors and tub area dry.
 Apply mosquito repellant on your body to prevent mosquito bites. However, this may not be an effective preventative method.
 Spray permethrin or DEET repellents on clothing, as mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing.
 Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if you go out in the early morning or at dusk.
 Keep doors and windows closed, especially in the early morning (5:30 - 7:30 a.m.) and dusk when the Aedes aegypti mosquito is most
active. However, the mosquito can bite at any time of the day.
 At night, use mosquito netting and/or use a mosquito repellant that has permethrin or DEET.
 Regular fumigation with insecticides in homes, office complexes, and shopping complexes, especially basements where water may tend
to accumulate, can prevent mosquito breeding for several weeks. Fumigation must be repeated regularly.

Learn more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aedes_aegypti.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is not exhaustive. Please consult your family physician should you suspect you or a family
member has dengue or DHF.

PRUDENT INSURANCE BROKERS PVT. LTD.

217 Prabhadevi Estate, V.S. Marg, Mumbai 400 02
TEL: 91-22-3306-6000 / FAX: 91-22-3306-6088
www.PrudentBrokers.com