Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is an acute infectious viral disease usually affecting infants and young children. It is characterized by fever during the initial phase and other symptoms like headache, pain in the eye, joint pain, muscle pain, and other pain, followed by signs of bleeding such as  petechiae (red tiny spots on the skin),  nosebleeding and gumbleeding. If there is blood in the stools and/or blood in the vomitus and accompanied by shock, this is called Dengue Shock Syndrome and is often fatal.

Dengue Video Clip

Aedes Aegypti, the transmitter of the disease is a day-biting mosquito which lays eggs in clear water container, such as flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house.
 

What are the symptoms of Dengue H-Fever?

1. Sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 9 days
2. Joint and muscle pain and pain behind the eyes
3. Weakness
4. Skin rashes - maculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae
5. Nosebleeding when fever starts to subside
6. Vomitting of coffee-colored matter
7. Dark colored stools
 

How to Prevent Dengue H-Fever
• The community should organize themselves to remove all possible breeding places of mosquitoes inside and outside of houses such as tin cans, rubber tires, bottles or drain accumulated water from trees and plants
• Cover water storage containers to prevent breeding of mosquitoes
• Clean house gutters to prevent stagnation of rain water
• Isolate patients suffering from Dengue H-Fever for at least 5 days
• Report to the nearest health center any suspected case of Dengue H-Fever in the neighborhood

Article from: Department of Health

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