Dengue Fever

Avatar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:13:57 +0000

One of the leading killers in developing countries that is linked to mosquitoes and their life cycle and feeding. The disease is caused by any of four related viruses and being viruses, there is no known cure for unlike bacterial infections that can be treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. Infection from a bite of an infected mosquito might expose one from one of the four viruses but unlike other forms of viruses where immunity to the family of viruses is acquired after exposure, with dengue it seems to exaggerate the effects of subsequent infections that results in hemorrhagic fever.
The virus works by rupturing the blood vessels of the infected person resulting in blood oozing into the surrounding tissue. Incubation is swift, that after three days of high fever, rashes begin to develop, and then bleeding occurs. One clinical test is with the use of a simple tourniquet test which shows the ruptured blood vessels and capillaries, but little can be done to stop the ravaging disease. Hospital confinement is recommended for close monitoring of the blood count especially the platelet counts which is indicator of the progression or regression of the disease. It also allows management and complication management that would otherwise be next to impossible in the home. Bleeding from the gums, nose and eyes is sign of advanced stages of the disease and usually almost signifies certain death. Similar to the famed Ebola virus, it is a new generation of virus that seems to come from apes and monkeys , jumping the species barrier towards humans. Very dangerous to children for their small bodies are so fragile and gets affected faster and thus the risk of complications is high.

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Dengue Fever