Monsoon Tips to Avoid Dengue

What is Dengue?

Also known as break-bone fever, Dengue is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus (DENV), which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. It is more common in tropical and sub-tropical climates. As monsoon sets a perfect breeding ground for dengue mosquitoes, you will witness an increase in the cases of dengue viral infection during this period. Most people who get dengue either don’t get symptoms or they might experience common symptoms like headache, body aches, nausea, and rash which gets better in 1-2 weeks. However, some people develop severe dengue that requires immediate medical attention & hospital care. In severe cases, dengue can also be fatal.

Ways to Prevent Dengue

Here are some handy tips that will help you prevent from getting infected:

• Make sure there is no stagnant water in your surroundings as this is breeding ground for mosquitoes.

• Wear full sleeves & light-colour clothes to protect against mosquito bites.

• Use mosquito repellents in your house as well as when you step outside.

• Eat healthy and balanced diet as this helps boost your immunity.

• Keep windows & doors closed or use mosquito screens.

• Avoid dark places and keep your house well-lit to avoid mosquitoes to enter.

• Take the Dengue Test to confirm the condition & initiate the preventive measures with the proper treatment.

How to diagnose Dengue?

If a person has fever, weakness, muscle pain or he is experiencing any other symptoms of dengue, then getting a blood test done is advisable. This is because the only way to detect dengue is through a lab test. There are different types of blood tests available, and your doctor may advice you tests depending on the time of infection and appearance of symptoms as the test results may differ.
In most cases, a complete blood count (CBC) is recommended if the healthcare practitioner suspects dengue. However, this doesn’t help to confirm the presence of dengue virus and so you need to undergo certain definitive tests which include NS1 test, RT-PCR test or immunoglobulin G test.

Treatment

There is no specific medicine to treat dengue. The focus is on treating the symptoms. Your healthcare provider will give recommendations on how to manage symptoms. For severe dengue, this is a medical emergency that requires immediate hospital care.

How does Dengue fever spread?

Dengue is spread by Aedes mosquitos. When the mosquito bites someone with dengue fever and then bites a person, it causes them to become infected.

Is Dengue fever contagious?

It isn’t contagious directly from one person to another like the flu. The only way to get dengue from another person is if the pregnant person becomes infected.