INVESTIGATORY

PROJECT
Report On Dengue Fever

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 CONTENTS
Certificate
Acknowledgement
Introduction
Signs and Symptoms
Causes
Mechanism
Overview
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Reference and Bibliography

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Introduction
Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a
mosquito-borne infection that can lead to a severe flu-like
illness. It is caused by four different viruses and spread
by Aedes mosquitoes. This may include fever, headache,
muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is
similar to measles. In a small proportion of cases, the
disease develops into life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic
fever, which results in bleeding, thrombocytopenia, and
leakage of blood plasma, or into dengue shock syndrome, in
which dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

Fast facts on dengue fever

Here are some key points about dengue fever. More detail is
in the main article.

 Dengue is transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes

aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which are found
throughout the world.
 Around 2.5 billion people, or 40 percent of the world's
population, live in areas where there is a risk of
dengue transmission.
 Dengue is endemic in at least 100 countries in Asia,
the Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and the Caribbean.
 Symptoms usually begin 4 to 7 days after the
mosquito bite and typically last 3 to 10 days.

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aegypti
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the disease.

Mild dengue fever

Symptoms can appear up to 7 days after being bitten by the

mosquito that carries the virus. They include:

 aching muscles and joints

 body rash that can disappear and then reappear
 high fever
 intense headache
 pain behind the eyes
 vomiting and feeling nauseous
Symptoms usually disappear after a week, and mild dengue
rarely involves serious or fatal complications.

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Dengue hemorrhagic fever

At first, symptoms of DHF may be mild, but they gradually

worsen within a few days. As well as mild dengue
symptoms, there may be signs of internal bleeding. A
person with Dengue hemorrhagic fever may experience:

 bleeding from the mouth, gums, or nose

 clammy skin
 damage to lymph and blood vessels
 internal bleeding, which can lead to black vomit and
faeces, or stools
 a lower number of platelets in the blood
 small blood spots under the skin
weak pulse
Without prompt treatment, DHF can be fatal.

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Dengue shock syndrome

DSS is a severe form of dengue. It can be fatal. Apart from

symptoms of mild dengue fever, the person may
experience:

 intense stomach pain

 disorientation
 sudden hypotension, or a fast drop in blood pressure
 heavy bleeding
 regular vomiting
blood vessels leaking fluid
Without treatment, this can result in death.

Causes
There are four dengue viruses (DENV) that cause dengue
fever. Common dengue causing virus is flavivirus. They are
all spread by a species of mosquito known as Aedes
aegypti, and more rarely by the Aedes albopictus mosquito.

The viruses jumped from monkeys to humans between 100

and 800 years ago, according to the CDC, but dengue
remained a minor problem until the middle of the twentieth
century.

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Aedes aegypti originated in Africa, but nowadays it is found
in tropical areas around the world, especially in and around
areas of human population.

The virus is transmitted from an infected mosquito to a

human. A mosquito bites a person who is infected with the
dengue virus, and the virus is passed on when the mosquito
bites someone else.

It is possible to have dengue fever more than once. A

second infection carries a higher risk of developing a
harsher form.

Mechanism
When a mosquito carrying dengue virus bites a person, the
virus enters the skin together with the mosquito's saliva. It
binds to and enters white blood cells, and reproduces inside
the cells while they move throughout the body. The white
blood cells respond by producing a number of signalling
proteins, such as cytokine and interferon, which are

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responsible for many of the symptoms, such as the fever,
the flu-like symptoms, and the severe pains.

In severe infection, the virus production inside the body is

greatly increased, and many more organs (such as
the liver and the bone marrow) can be affected. Fluid from
the bloodstream leaks through the wall of small blood
vessels into body cavities due to capillary permeability. As a
result, less blood circulates in the blood vessels, and the
blood pressure becomes so low that it cannot supply
sufficient blood to vital organs.

Furthermore, dysfunction of the bone marrow due to

infection of the cells leads to reduced numbers of platelets,
which are necessary for effective blood clotting; this
increases the risk of bleeding, the other major complication
of dengue fever.

Overview

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Diagnosis
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The signs and symptoms of dengue fever are similar to
some other diseases, such as typhoid fever and malaria.
This can sometimes delay an accurate diagnosis. The doctor
will assess the symptoms and the person's medical and
travel history, and they may order some blood tests to
confirm the diagnosis.

The diagnosis of dengue fever may be confirmed by

microbiological laboratory testing. This can be done by virus
isolation in cell cultures, nucleic acid detection by PCR,
viral antigen detection or specific antibodies . Virus isolation
and nucleic acid detection are more accurate than antigen
detection, but these tests are not widely available due to
their greater cost. All tests may be negative in the early
stages of the disease. PCR and viral antigen detection are
more accurate in the first seven days.

These laboratory tests are only of diagnostic value during

the acute phase of the illness with the exception of serology.
Tests for dengue virus-specific antibodies,
types IgG and IgM, can be useful in confirming a diagnosis
in the later stages of the infection. Both IgG and IgM are
produced after 5–7 days. The highest levels (titres) of IgM
are detected following a primary infection, but IgM is also

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produced in re-infection. After a primary infection, IgG
reaches peak levels in the blood after 14–21 days.

Treatment
Dengue is a virus, so there is no specific treatment or cure.
However, intervention can help, depending on how severe
the disease is.

For milder forms, treatment includes:

 Preventing dehydration: A high fever and vomiting can

dehydrate the body. The person should drink clean
water, ideally bottled rather than tap water.
Rehydration salts can also help replace fluids and
minerals.

 Painkillers, such as Tylenol or paracetamol: These can

help lower fever and ease pain.

More severe forms of dengue fever may need:

 intravenous (IV) fluid supplementation, or drip, if the

person cannot take fluids by mouth
 blood transfusion, for patients with severe dehydration
 Hospitalization will allow the individual to be properly
monitored, in case symptoms get worse.

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 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),
such as aspirin or ibuprofen, are not advised, as they
can increase the risk of internal bleeding.
Prevention
No vaccine can protect against dengue fever. Only avoiding
mosquito bites can prevent it.

Anyone who lives in or travels to an at-risk area can use a

number of ways to avoid being bitten.

1. Clothing: Reduce the amount of skin exposed by wearing

long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks, tucking pant
legs into shoes or socks, and wearing a hat.

2. Mosquito repellents: Use a repellent with at least 10

percent concentration of diethyltoluamide (DEET), or a
higher concentration for longer lengths of exposure. Avoid
using DEET on young children.

3. Mosquito traps and nets: Nets treated with insecticide

are more effective, otherwise the mosquito can bite
through the net if the person is standing next to it. The

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 insecticide will kill mosquitoes and other insects, and it
will repel insects from entering the room.

4. Door and window screens: Structural barriers, such as

screens or netting, can keep mosquitoes out.

5. Timing: Try to avoid being outside at dawn, dusk, and

early evening.

6. Stagnant water: The Aedes mosquito breeds in clean,

stagnant water. Checking for and removing stagnant
water can help reduce the risk.

To reduce the risk of mosquitoes breeding in stagnant

water:

 turn buckets and watering cans over and store them

under shelter so that water cannot accumulate
 remove excess water from plant pot plates
 scrub containers to remove mosquito eggs
 loosen soil from potted plants, to prevent puddles
forming on the surface
 make sure scupper drains are not blocked and do not
place potted plants and other objects over them
 use non-perforated gully traps, install anti-mosquito
valves, and cover any traps that are rarely used
 do not place receptacles under an air-conditioning unit
 change the water in flower vases every second day and
scrub and rinse the inside of the vase
 prevent leaves from blocking anything that may result
in the accumulation of puddles or stagnant water

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When camping or picnicking, choose an area that is away
from still water

Reference and Bibliography

 Aakash Medical Study Package
 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179471.ph
p
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever
 http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/dengue.ht
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