Dengue Fever
Introduction:
It is also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus.
Causes:
Dengue is usually transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. The virus exists in four different types, and an infection with one type usually gives lifelong imuunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. There is currently no available vaccine, but measures to reduce the habitat and the number of mosquitoes, and limiting exposure to bites, are used to decrease the incidence of dengue.
Symptoms:
Dengue fever begins with a sudden high fever, often as high as 104 - 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
A flat, red rash may appear over most of the body 2 - 5 days after the fever starts. A second rash, which looks like the measles, appears later in the disease. Infected people may have increased skin sensitivity and are very uncomfortable.
Other symptoms include:
Headache (especially behind the eyes)
- Fatigue
- joint aches
muscle aches
Nausea
Swollen lymph nodes
- vomiting
There are currently no approved vaccines for the dengue virus.Prevention thus depends on control of and protection from the bites of the mosquito that transmits it.The primary method of controlling A. aegypti is by eliminating its habitats.his may be done by emptying containers of water or by adding insecticides or biological control agents to these areas.
No comments:
Post a Comment