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Dengue fever is a common infectious disease that appears seasonally. If not treated promptly, it can lead to dangerous complications, even affecting lives. Here are some of the causes, symptoms, treatment, and preventive measures for dengue fever.
1. What is Dengue Fever?
Dengue fever is an acute infectious disease caused by a type of virus called Dengue. The virus has four different serotypes: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. Patients infected with a particular serotype can only develop lifelong immunity to that specific serotype. Therefore, people living in areas with circulating dengue virus may experience dengue fever more than once in their lifetime.
2. Causes of Dengue Fever
The virus is transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person through mosquito bites. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (striped mosquitoes with white markings on their legs and back) are the primary vectors spreading the disease. The virus enters the human bloodstream through mosquito saliva, causing dengue fever.
In Vietnam, this disease occurs throughout the year, usually escalating during the rainy season. Dengue Fever is characterized by fever, hemorrhage, and leakage, potentially leading to shock, circulatory collapse, blood clotting disorders, kidney failure. If not diagnosed early and treated promptly, it can result in fatalities.
The progression of the disease in pregnant women is similar to non-pregnant individuals, but the impact on the fetus is unpredictable and rapid.
3. Dengue Fever Symptoms
When experiencing dengue fever, individuals typically go through three stages.
Stage 1:
Patients exhibit the following symptoms:
-Sudden, continuous high fever.
- Headache, loss of appetite, nausea.
- Swollen and hemorrhagic skin.
- Muscle pain, joint pain, aching behind the eyes.
- Positive tourniquet test.
- Often accompanied by bleeding spots under the skin, bleeding gums, or nosebleeds.
Typically on days 3-7 of the illness, the patient may still have a fever or it may have subsided. Possible symptoms include:
- Manifestations of pleural effusion due to increased vascular permeability (usually lasting 24-48 hours). Patients may experience swelling around the eyes, enlarged liver, and possible pain.
If there is significant pleural effusion, it can lead to shock with symptoms such as restlessness, agitation, or lethargy, cold and damp skin, rapid and small pulse, narrowed blood pressure, blood pressure drop, or even unmeasurable blood pressure, and reduced urine output.
Hemorrhagic manifestations:
- Subcutaneous bleeding: Scattered bleeding spots or petechiae are often found on the front of both shins and the inner sides of both arms, abdomen, thighs, ribcage, or bruised areas.
- Bleeding in mucous membranes: Nosebleeds, gum bleeding, or bleeding in the mouth. Prolonged menstruation or early onset of menstruation.
- In severe cases, complications such as severe liver inflammation, encephalitis, and myocarditis may occur. These severe manifestations can occur in some patients without clear signs of pleural effusion or shock.
Phase 3: Recovery Phase
The patient is fever-free, and the condition begins to improve. There is a sense of appetite, blood circulation stabilizes, and the patient urinates frequently. Blood tests show a gradual increase in platelets, returning to normal. In this phase, excessive fluid infusion can lead to pulmonary edema or heart failure.
4. Treatment of Dengue Fever
Currently, there is no specific treatment for dengue fever, so the focus is on symptomatic treatment:
Treatment Duration: From 7-10 days from the onset of fever.
Patients can receive home-based care after being examined, tested, and advised on the treatment plan by a specialized doctor. Close monitoring and care for outpatients is essential, with both the patient and family well-informed.
Mainly symptomatic treatment is administered, with close monitoring to detect signs of shock early for timely intervention.
5.1. Symptomatic Treatment
In case of high fever, the patient should take antipyretic medication, loosen clothing, and cool themselves with warm water.
Antipyretic medication should only be paracetamol, with a dosage of 10-15 mg/kg body weight per dose, spaced 4-6 hours apart. Note that the total paracetamol dose should not exceed 60mg/kg body weight/24h.
Encourage patients to drink plenty of ORS or lukewarm water, fruit juices (coconut water, orange, lemon, etc.), or diluted porridge with salt.
When the patient has a fever: Sponge the body with warm water, take Paracetamol as a single antipyretic, with a dosage of 10-15 mg/kg/dose, spaced every 4-6 hours. Absolutely avoid using Aspirin, Analgin, Ibuprofen for fever treatment as it may lead to dengue fever and bleeding risks.
5.2. Care and Monitoring Methods for Dengue Fever
Dietary Guidelines
Recommended: Eat soft, easily digestible, and nutritious food in small portions, increase fluid intake.
Not recommended: Consume brown or red-colored foods or drinks as they may be mistaken for gastrointestinal bleeding symptoms.
Key Signs to Monitor and Follow
- Monitor body temperature at least 3 times a day, daily urine volume, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
- Pay attention to sensory conditions: Alertness or agitation, confusion, etc., and bleeding conditions (if any) such as bleeding gums, nosebleeds, vaginal bleeding, bloody stools, vomiting blood, etc.
- Care regimen, rest, and monitoring during treatment
- Drink plenty of water, replenish fluids and electrolytes with ORS daily, avoid alcoholic drinks, coffee, carbonated beverages, etc.
- Drink plenty of water according to individual needs, increase intake of freshly squeezed fruit juices like orange, grapefruit, lime, coconut water, etc. Eat liquid and easily digestible food, avoiding oily foods, alcohol, cigarettes, and carbonated drinks. Avoid dark red-colored foods: blood (pork, beef, chicken, etc.), beets to prevent confusion with gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Rest in bed, avoid stress.
- Take fever-reducing medication as prescribed by the doctor, at the correct time as directed by the doctor.
Seek immediate emergency care if there are signs of bleeding: nosebleeds, bleeding gums, black stools, and altered consciousness.
5. Preventing Dengue Fever
Currently, there is no vaccine for dengue fever, so the main preventive measures include:
- Avoid being bitten by disease-carrying mosquitoes. To reduce the risk of mosquito bites, minimize your exposure to mosquitoes.
- Plan outdoor activities during times when these mosquito types are less common. Avoid outdoor activities at sunrise, sunset, and early evening when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes.
- Sleep under a mosquito net, even during the daytime. Use curtains, mosquito-repellent treated nets, and maintain consistent room temperature to reduce the risk of mosquitoes entering the house and biting family members.
- Inspect stagnant water sources near your home and garden – these are breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes and larvae.
- Insect repellents can be harmful, so use only the necessary amount. Be cautious with toxic substances, especially with young children or infants under 2 months old. Instead, cover the stroller or crib with a net when outdoors.
The above information covers the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of dengue fever, compiled by Mytour. If you find this information helpful, please don't forget to share it with others!
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