Fact Checked
Dengue fever is a viral ailment brought about by the dengue viruses that is transmitted by mosquito bites. The condition has been reported in subtropical and tropical countries.
What are the signs?
The signs generally arise within 4 days up to a week after being infected. In most cases, there are no symptoms once infected.
In around 25% of infected individuals, the possible signs that might arise include:
- Skin rashes all over the body but typically on the stomach, chest and back
- Fatigue
- Joint pain that affects the knee, wrist and ankle as well as the toes and fingers in some cases
- Muscle pain
- Several swollen joints due to the buildup of fluid which leads to joint rigidity
- Blood-streaked urine
Skin rashes all over the body but typically on the stomach, chest and back.
Management of dengue fever
At the present, there is no available cure. The treatment measures are aimed on relieving the symptoms such as:
- Adequate bed rest
- Drugs such as pain medications
- Increasing the intake of fluids
Prevention
The preventive measures for dengue fever generally involve avoidance of mosquito bites. These measures are useful in controlling the spread of the disease:
- Use mosquito nets when sleeping at night especially in endemic areas.
- Apply a mosquito repellant cream and make sure that the body is covered with long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Observe good sanitary conditions to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. Eliminate any potential habitats for mosquitoes such as those that contain standing water particularly pots, old tires, rainwater puddles and temporary pools.
- Sprays that include permethrin can be used on clothes while sprays that contain DEET can be used on the skin.