What is Dengue Fever?
Symptoms of the disease are a high fever that begins within 4 to 7 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito, a severe headache, pain behind the eye, severe joint and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, a rash and also an inability to clot blood properly due to low platelet count from internal bleeding.
Dengue fever is a vector-borne disease. A vector-borne disease is one in which a pathogenic microorganism is transmitted from one individual to another by a arthropod or other agent like an animal. Arthropods are insects, spiders, centipedes, shrimp, and crayfish.
Symptoms of the disease are a high fever that begins within 4 to 7 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito, a severe headache, pain behind the eye, severe joint and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, a rash and also an inability to clot blood properly due to low platelet count from internal bleeding. The rash appears over most of the body approximately 3 or 4 days after the fever began. The rash then subsides after 1 or 2 days. A second rash may appear a few days after the first one disappears.
The diagnosis for dengue fever is made using two blood tests done 2 to 3 weeks apart. When there is an epidemic of dengue fever, there is usually no time for blood tests and physicians will make the diagnosis solely on presenting symptoms.
Recovery from dengue fever is about 2 weeks from onset. The patient is usually told to get plenty of bed rest, drink lots of fluids and take medicine to reduce the fever. The Center for Disease Control has advised individuals to not take aspirin for fever reduction, and that acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain-reducing medicines are safer for most individuals to take.
Severe forms of dengue involve symptoms of shock, coma, and possibly death. It is imperative that if these symptoms should start to show that the individual be taken to an emergency room immediately. In the emergency room they will use electrolyte replacement therapy to save the individual's life.
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The best thing anyone can do visiting Brazil is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by using personal protective clothing and using insect repellent.
Another tropical disease common to Brazil is leishmaniasis.
Tropical Skin Diseases
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The best way to prevent the spread of dengue fever is to eliminate the risks that mosquitoes pose by using insect repellent that contain DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Use protective clothing that includes long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes. The Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day; it is imperative that you are especially careful to avoid mosquitoes during the day. You can also keep all unscreened windows and doors closed, spray screens with insect repellent, use a bedding net while sleeping and to eliminate all areas that mosquitoes can use to breed in such as standing water, containers with standing water such as birdbaths and discarded tires.
The majority of individuals who contract dengue fever recover completely within 2 weeks of onset. Depression or extreme tiredness may set in and last for a few weeks or months after onset of the disease.
Complications from severe cases include hemorrhagic fever, dengue shock syndrome, vascular (blood vessel) damage, liver damage - all of which can be life threatening.
Scientists are trying to develop vaccines for dengue fever. Research is being done to prevent dengue viruses from reproducing inside mosquitoes.
Dengue fever is a global threat. Scientist still do not know how the virus infects the cells and cause the disease.
New research is currently being done to try to understand how the virus interacts with humans.
Tropical Disease Dangers!
08/29/2008
We`re at war with malaria - Kikwete (IPP Media)
President Jakaya Kikwete has said Tanzania is fighting an all-out war against malaria, adding that the country would kick out the killer disease if effective strategies were put in place.
We`re at war with malaria - Kikwete (IPP Media)
08/28/2008
Storm issues a wake-up call for gardeners (Miami Herald)
Tropical Storm Fay brushed over southeastern Florida and shook out twigs, leaves and palm fronds from our tree canopies, but left most of our gardens intact. Large bananas, tall gingers, heliconias and bamboo may have been toppled or snapped, but these tropical plants will come back.
Storm issues a wake-up call for gardeners (Miami Herald)
08/29/2008
We`re at war with malaria - Kikwete (IPP Media)
President Jakaya Kikwete has said Tanzania is fighting an all-out war against malaria, adding that the country would kick out the killer disease if effective strategies were put in place.
We`re at war with malaria - Kikwete (IPP Media)
08/28/2008
Storm issues a wake-up call for gardeners (Miami Herald)
Tropical Storm Fay brushed over southeastern Florida and shook out twigs, leaves and palm fronds from our tree canopies, but left most of our gardens intact. Large bananas, tall gingers, heliconias and bamboo may have been toppled or snapped, but these tropical plants will come back.
Storm issues a wake-up call for gardeners (Miami Herald)
08/28/2008
Use Caution In Flood Waters, USA (Medical News Today)
Anticipated flooding from Tropical Storm Fay may result in contaminants from various sources being washed into streams, creeks, rivers and coastal waters. If flooding occurs, these waters may contain fecal material from overflowing sewage systems as well as other contaminants from a variety of sources.
Use Caution In Flood Waters, USA (Medical News Today)
08/29/2008
Tropical storm rips off roofs, dumps heavy rain on Jamaica (The Jamaica Observer)
Gustav, the deceptive tropical storm that snuck up on Jamaica's eastern and southern coasts after a sharp change in course Wednesday night, yesterday blew off roofs and downed trees as it lumbered across the island, dumping heavy rain along the way.
Tropical storm rips off roofs, dumps heavy rain on Jamaica (The Jamaica Observer)
08/29/2008
Tropical storm a concern for Texas Rangers' manager (Dallas Morning News)
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington casts a watchful eye toward the weather radar this weekend. He's not worried about rain delays in Southern California, but about the possibility of having his New Orleans home wrecked by a hurricane for the second time in four years.
Tropical storm a concern for Texas Rangers' manager (Dallas Morning News)
08/29/2008
We`re at war with malaria - Kikwete (IPP Media)
President Jakaya Kikwete has said Tanzania is fighting an all-out war against malaria, adding that the country would kick out the killer disease if effective strategies were put in place.
We`re at war with malaria - Kikwete (IPP Media)
08/28/2008
Storm issues a wake-up call for gardeners (Miami Herald)
Tropical Storm Fay brushed over southeastern Florida and shook out twigs, leaves and palm fronds from our tree canopies, but left most of our gardens intact. Large bananas, tall gingers, heliconias and bamboo may have been toppled or snapped, but these tropical plants will come back.
Storm issues a wake-up call for gardeners (Miami Herald)
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