Last week one of our neighbors in the compound had dengue. Thank God that it was discovered at its early stage and she was able to recuperate. Would you believe that her platelet dropped to 29?
Our house help has high grade fever since Friday and we are also monitoring her condition as it might be dengue as well. Although her blood test showed negative results last Sunday and Monday, we are not taking chances. There are a lot of people who had dengue these past months.
I am posting some relevant information about dengue below. I hope it will help us to protect our family from this life threatening situation.
What Is Dengue?
Dengue, also called breakbone fever, is just one of a number of diseases that can result from a mosquito’s bite. The actual cause of the disease is a virus. An infected mosquito (that is, a mosquito that has previously bitten an infected human) carries the virus in its salivary glands. In the process of biting a person to get blood, it transfers the virus to the human.
There are four types of dengue virus. Infection with one type does not provide immunity to the other three types. After one infection, if a victim is bitten by a mosquito carrying another type, the result can be DHF.
Particular Dangers of DHF
As noted earlier, DHF is the life-threatening form of dengue. One of the dangers of DHF is that people are fooled into thinking that it is not that serious. Many mistake it for a case of the flu. However, postponing action may allow the illness to advance to the more serious stage in which the blood platelet count drops drastically, hemorrhaging begins (internally or through the gums, nose, or skin), and blood pressure sinks. The patient may collapse. By the time the family realizes that the condition is serious, he is already going into shock. They rush him to the hospital. There, the doctors find that he is already experiencing circulatory failure. Because of the critical situation, intravenous fluid replacement is ordered.
What Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms of both dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)
• Sudden high fever
• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Joint and muscle pain
• Swelling of lymph nodes
• Rash
• Exhaustion
Symptoms more specific for DHF
• Sudden collapse
• Skin hemorrhaging
• Generalized bleeding
• Cold, clammy skin
• Restlessness
• Shock with weak pulse (dengue shock syndrome)
Do not delay in seeing a doctor if symptoms are observed. Children are especially at risk
Medical authorities say that aspirin should be avoided because it may aggravate bleeding.
