People can prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers skin, use mosquito nets, and insect repellent.
ISLAMABAD: Dengue fever is a viral infection spread from person to person by the bites of mosquitoes. Most times, they bite either in the mornings or the evening to late evening. People who become infected produce antibodies in response to the virus. Symptoms of catching dengue include high fever (up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit), severe body pain, itching, red spots, and in extreme cases, bleeding from the nose, teeth and severe pain behind the eyes.
Warning signs for the disease worsening, after which the patient may go into dengue haemorrhagic shock, are abdominal pain, vomiting, liver enlargement, mucosal bleeding, high haematocrit count with low platelets and lethargy.
For treatment, a pain-killer such as paracetamol is used and never dispirin. For the present, there is no vaccine for the dengue virus, so precaution and prevention are key strategies in dealing with the disease and its spread.
This can be done by eliminating standing water in one’s living environment and around one’s home. People can prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers the skin, using mosquito netting while resting, and by using insect repellent.
Dr Saifur Rehman
Medical hepatologist
Centre for liver diseases & liver transplant
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.
