Symptoms of dengue fever, diagnosis, treatment methods

What are the symptoms of dengue fever?

1. What is Dengue fever?

Dengue fever, also known as viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), is an infectious disease caused by Dengue viruses. It is transmitted primarily through the bite of Aedes mosquitoes carrying the Dengue fever virus.

It is estimated that around 400 million cases of Dengue fever occur worldwide each year, with approximately 96 million patients. This disease is common in tropical regions around the world, especially in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

2. Dengue fever symptoms

2.1. Dengue fever symptoms in adults

Patients will begin to show signs of dengue fever 4-6 days after being bitten by mosquitoes, lasting up to 10 days with symptoms such as:
- Sudden high fever
- Severe headache
- Eye pain
- Muscle and joint pain
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Skin rash (appearing 2-5 days after fever)
- Mild bleeding (nosebleeds, gum bleeding, or easy bruising)

2.2. Dengue fever symptoms in children

Dengue fever in children may not manifest clearly like in adults, as it can be mistaken for common flu and other common infectious diseases. However, if mosquitoes are noticed biting the child and then the following symptoms appear, parents should take the child to the hospital immediately for dengue fever testing because early detection and timely treatment can significantly reduce the risk of complications caused by dengue fever.

- High fever above 38 degrees
- Unusual fussiness, sleepiness, or refusal to eat
- Rash

3. Diagnosis of dengue fever

Doctors can diagnose dengue fever by blood tests to check for the virus or antibodies associated with it. If you become ill after visiting a tropical area or an area experiencing a dengue fever outbreak, inform your doctor, as this will help the doctor assess whether you have dengue fever based on the symptoms you provide.

4. Is dengue fever contagious?

Dengue fever is a dangerous infectious disease, so many people often wonder if frequent contact with dengue fever patients can lead to infection. The answer is no! Dengue fever is not transmitted from sick individuals to healthy ones through routes such as respiratory droplets, body fluids, or physical contact. You only get infected with dengue fever when bitten by mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus. That's why you shouldn't isolate yourself from dengue fever patients and should protect yourself when in dengue fever outbreak areas as they are breeding grounds for virus-infected mosquitoes.

5. Treatment of dengue fever

There is no specific medication to treat dengue fever. If you suspect you have dengue fever, you should use pain relievers with acetaminophen and avoid aspirin as it can worsen bleeding. You should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and see a doctor. If you start feeling worse within the first 24 hours after fever subsides, you should go to the hospital immediately for evaluation to prevent dangerous complications.

6. Preventing dengue fever

In 2019, the FDA approved a vaccine called Dengvaxia to help prevent dengue fever for adolescents aged 9 to 16 who have previously been infected with dengue fever. However, there is currently no vaccine to stop this disease outbreak. Therefore, the best way to prevent dengue fever is to protect oneself from mosquito bites. Each of us should protect ourselves by:
- Using mosquito repellent, even indoors.
- Wearing long-sleeved clothing when outdoors.
- Using air conditioning indoors if available.
- Using mosquito nets while sleeping.
- Seeing a doctor for a checkup if suspected of having dengue fever.

Additionally, another effective way to prevent is to maintain cleanliness and tidiness of the living environment to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. If you are in an area with dengue fever patients, you should also be cautious and pay attention to self-protection as this place may harbor many disease-carrying mosquitoes.

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