Dengue Fever

My name is Dr Tarun Jhamb and I’m an MD Medince. I am practising for last fifteen years. I am connected to Lybrate. I’m also practising at Columbia Asia Hospital and we will discuss the health topic one of which is Dengue Fever. We know for the next three months, there is a possibility of Dengue Fever in the rainy season. Dengue is a mosquito borne viral fever and it just spreads from the bite of the mosquito and spreads person to person. Most of the times it is self-treatable and it’s a preventable disease but there are a few cases which have gone into complications which are known as Dengue Shock Syndrome or Dengue haemorrhaging Fever.

Common symptoms of the Dengue Fever is the high-grade fever, 104- 105 temperature with body ache, joint pain, muscle pain, rashes all over the body, and severe weakness. A person becomes very dilapidated within one or two days and feels very uncomfortable and he becomes sick. It is a treatable disease. Lots of liquids and electrolytes are required.

What are the dos and don’ts for this disease?

Do is, we have to take care of not getting stagnant water in coolers or in and around the home. We should take care of using the mosquito repellent, material or the jellies. We can use the net to avoid the mosquito bite. We should intake a lot of water and electrolyte supplements. We should take bed rest for few days. We need to see the doctor as soon as we see the symptoms of dengue fever.

Things we don’t have to do, do not use disprin or the voveran tablet during the fever because these are the blood thinners. Do not avoid or delay the treatment. As we see the symptoms like bleeding from anywhere on the sight and black stool, continuous vomiting and severe weakness and continuous fever which leads to fainting.

These are the serious symptoms which should be immediately taken care of and we should seek the help of the doctor. It is a preventable disease. We should take care of the blood testing where we find the dengue test at initial four to five days, likely to be positive and antibody test after four to five days, is likely to be positive. Platelets are falling after four to five days and remain for the next three to four days and then it automatically starts. Some people require hospitalization as well as the platelet transfusion. The upper limit of the platelet is up to ten to fifteen thousand where we can prevent or avoid the platelet transfusion. But if it is going down lower or there is any sign of bleeding up to forty thousand then we have to give the platelet transfusion request.

If you need any of my help, I am available at Lybrate. My home clinic is Naman Medicare at Gurgaon, Sector IV.

Thank you