Dengue Fever

(Pronounced as Dhen Gey)

Facts we all need to know

Alternative Names

 Onyong- Nyang Fever

 West Nile Fever
 Break Bone Fever
 Dengue like Disease
Inter play of three factors

WE

Interaction

The Virus The Mosquito

 The Virus

Dengue Virus
 The Dengue Virus

Four types (flavours)

 Type 1 to 4 (named very cleverly)
 Transmitted by mosquito –

Indian national airliner for most germs!

Dengue Virus
Electron Micrograms
 The Aircraft for Dengue

Difficult name to pronounce?

We have to ask its parents (Zoologists)

Aedes aegypti
(Infected Female Mosquito)
mostly females are
dangerous anyway – joking!
 Watch out ! This Mosquito
 Day biting – normally catches us unaware
 Loves / lives in fresh water in homes
 Lays eggs preferentially in jars, discarded
containers, coconut shells, old tires etc.
 Year round breeding
 Tropical regions like our mother India are
its favorite zones.
 It is an urban mosquito
The Aircraft (Aedes aegypti)
This special mosquito

Transmits
Many
Dangerous
illnesses
 See our greatness!

Prevalent from centuries Highly prevalent now

 Dengue Fever
 Dengue viruses – 4 flavours cause it
 It is transmitted by a mosquito- the
Aedes aegypti
 It is generally an animal virus
 Man is accidentally infected
 Other vertebrates are the reservoirs
Dengue Transmission Cycle
Dengue colourful features!

Clinical Features
 Dengue Presentations

 Like any other viral fever- not clear cut

 Dengue Fever with Muscle pains

this is classical presentation in 90%

cases
 Dengue Fever with bleeding in 7%
 Dengue – the dangerous form in 3%
Bleeding from where?

 Bleeding into skin

 From Gums
 From Nose
 Into our food passages
 Blood in urine
 What do we experience ?
 2–7 days after the mosquito had its dinner on
us we may develop
 Sudden onset of fever, chills, headache
 Back pain with severe muscle and joint pains
 Pain behind the eyes and on moving the eyes
 Nick name - Break bone fever- pains so severe
 Red patches or spots on the skin
 Mild nose bleeds
This is the ordinary classical
Non dangerous form!
 What is the end result?

 Complete recovery is the rule

 Severe weakness many persist for
many days after the fever leaves us
Skin bleeds
 Dengue – The bleeding form

 Blood vessels are affected

 There is severe oozing into tissues
 Bleeding into all possible parts of body
 Blood clotting mechanism is disrupted
 Blood pressure falls and many end in
collapse and death
 In the best centers 5% of this type of
Dengue will reach their forefathers
Bleeding into the eye
Large bleed into skin
 Bleeding spots in skin

Normal

Dengue
Rare types of Dengue

 Brain fever
 Liver damage
 Heart damage
 Severe bleeding
into stomach
 What are the tests needed?

 Routine blood test

 Tests to check the clotting process
 Special tests to identify the Dengue
or its foot marks in our blood
 Urine to check protein leak
 Special Test (ELISA)

ELISA Plate IgM-capture ELISA

 Treatment of Dengue

 Supportive measures – Mosquito screen

 Avoid Aspirin and pain killers
 Steroids should not be used
 Plenty of water and salt are required
 Children below 12 require careful watch

for dangerous form

 No antibiotics are of proven value
Child with severe form of Dengue

Oxygen
IV Fluids
Special Care
See the tubes
every where
Frightening, isn’t it?
 Common Misconceptions

 Severe Dengue is only a childhood

illness –
No, All ages may be involved

 Sever form is a problem of poor families

– No, The effluent do get very sick
 Can we protect ourselves?

 There is no vaccine available as yet

 But we can prevent the disease by
preventing ourselves from mosquito bite
 Mosquito Control
How to prevent mosquito spread?
1. Do not allow empty vessels,
coconut shells, plastic containers,
flower pots, tires etc to collect rain
water in them
2. Frequently (once in 2-3 days)
empty all water storage containers
3. Cover your over tanks to prevent
mosquitoes breeding in fresh water
How to prevent mosquito bites?
 Screen your homes with mosquito
screens like Netlon -
 Wear full clothing – long sleeves
 Apply mosquito repellents like Odomos
 Keep Dengue fever patient
under mosquito net
 True community participation is key

          
 We need to learn

 Each person is a Book !

 Each Day is a Learning Opportunity!!
 Learning has More Relevance

today than ever !!!

 Deserve the Grace of God by
helping the weak and poor, the
diseased and the disabled, the
distressed and the
downtrodden.

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Thank You !