THOUGH the dengue virus dates from the late 18th century, the world was introduced to dengue fever as an identifiable ailment only in the 1980s. Many people therefore, have little or no information about what the dengue virus is, how it can be avoided and in the case of infection, how it can be treated. Unlike Malaria - dengue's relative - the virus is consequently widely misunderstood around the world, and particularly in Saudi Arabia, where it is a relatively recent occurrence. Dengue fever is essentially a mosquito-borne viral illness caused by the dengue virus. Dr. Amjad Obaid, an ENT surgeon at the Saudi German Hospital remarks, “Recently it has emerged as a major international health problem. The disease is more common during the summer - in the month of June to August and can occur in all age groups.” Dengue fever is a flu-like illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, and the symptoms include fever, headache, painful aching in the legs and joints, vomiting, diarrhea, swollen glands (in the neck and groin) and body rashes. Dengue hemorrhagic fever, however, is a severe and often fatal complication of dengue fever. What is the infectious agent that causes dengue fever? Dr. Muhammad Rafique, from the Department of Anatomy at the Faculty of Medicine at the King AbdulAziz University in Jeddah, provides the answer: “The two main species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, have been responsible for all cases of dengue transmission.” Dr. Muhammad highlighted specific tests that help identify the infection. These are the dengue virus blood test and dengue antibodies blood test. “A doctor or any other health care worker can diagnose dengue fever by doing a blood test. The test can show whether the blood sample contains dengue virus or antibodies to the virus. In epidemics, dengue is often clinically diagnosed through typical signs and symptoms,” he said. Despite there being no specific treatment for the infection, there is good news. The majority of people recover completely within two weeks. To help with the recovery process, health care experts recommend getting plenty of bed rest, drinking lots of fluids and taking medicine to reduce fever. “It is advised that people with dengue fever should not take aspirin. However, Acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain-reducing medicines are safe for most people,” noted Dr. Muhammad. Some of the latest treatments for dengue fever include IV fluids, Acetaminophen, Analgesics (Pain Killers), and in serious cases, Platelet transfusion, where platelets are extracted from the blood samples of donors to be inserted in the patient's bloodstream through a drip (infusion). Prevention methods are strongly underway in the Kingdom. Since there are currently no vaccines to prevent dengue, prevention centers and awareness brochures are regularly distributed to the public by the Ministry of Health. Should we be worried? Well, statistics vary depending on area and the study method applied. 50 -100 million cases of dengue occur globally every year according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates. In the western region of the Kingdom alone, approximately 44 dengue cases occur every week, according to the Director of Health Affairs of the region. “The dengue virus was isolated from fatal cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 1994. After 1994, a sharp decline was observed until 2004, as the years 2004 and 2005 saw the resurgence of infection. The overall incidence rate in Jeddah in 2006 was 0.4 per 1000 people, and was dominated by men amongst both Saudi and non Saudis.” Dr. Sayed Ziauddin, Medical Director at the Shar Medical Clinic in Jeddah stresses the importance of avoiding the collection of water - and therefore encouraging the breeding of specific mosquitoes - in things like pots, AC water collection trays, discarded tires, potholes, and others. Dr. Muhammad adds to prevention by stating, “Use a mosquito repellant containing DEET (the most common active ingredient in insect repellents, intended to be applied to the skin or to clothing, and primarily used to repel mosquitos) and because Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day, be sure to use precautions especially during the hours before daybreak and in the late afternoon before dark.” - SG Dr. Amjad's tips: • Use mosquito repellents on skin and clothing. • If outside during times that mosquitoes are biting, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks. • Avoid heavily populated residential areas. • When indoors, stay in air-conditioned or screened areas. Use bed nets if sleeping areas are not screened or air-conditioned. • If you have symptoms of dengue, remember to report your travel history to your doctor. • Eliminate mosquito breeding sites around homes. Discard items that can collect rain or run-off water, especially old tires. • Regularly change the water in outdoor bird baths and pet and animal water containers.What are some popular misconceptions people have above dengue fever? Dr. Amjad answers: • Dengue is contagious. No. Dengue cannot spread from human to human. It has no person to person transmission, but can only spread by the bites of infected mosquitos. • Dengue is the same as Malaria. No it is not. They are separate infections, with separate symptoms, cures and are caused by different infected mosquitos. • Fever is not something to be worried about. On the contrary, fever is the most common symptom followed by bleeding & rashes over the body in dengue fever, so fever should not be disregarded. • All mosquitos can cause dengue. Not true. Only a specific kind of infected mosquito causes Dengue. __
