Dengue Fever Alert In Brazil: Death Toll Exceeds 100
The South American country of Brazil is struggling with an outbreak of Dengue Fever. The number of deaths in the country has exceeded 100. Cases are expressed in hundreds of thousands.
Brazil’s Ministry of Health announced that the number of people believed to have dengue fever in the country has exceeded 650,000.
A Dengue Fever diagnostic center was established in a hospital in Sao Paulo. More than 100 people are diagnosed with the disease every day.
Last year, more than 2 million 350 thousand cases were recorded in the country. The Dengue Fever virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. The disease, which generally causes fever and intense bone pain after the incubation period, can cause death in some cases.
Cases usually increase in June, September, December and March, known as the “rainy season”. Brazil launched a vaccination campaign at the beginning of the month for the disease, for which there is no specific treatment.
WHAT IS DENGUE FEVER?
Dengue fever is a viral disease that is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions around the world and causes severe flu-like symptoms. It is also known as ‘broken bone fever’ because it causes bone pain as if it had been broken. The causative agent is Dengue virus from the flavivirus family. There are 4 known types of dengue virus. Those who get sick with one type can get sick again with other types.
SYMPTOMS OF DENGUE FEVER
Through the bite of an infected mosquito, the dengue virus enters through the skin, enters the bloodstream and is found in large quantities in the blood of patients 24 hours after a fever. One in four people infected with dengue will become ill. Symptoms can be mild or severe. Severe dengue fever can be life-threatening within a few hours and usually requires hospitalization. Mild dengue fever symptoms can be confused with other illnesses that cause fever, aches and pains or a rash.
What is dengue fever and what are the symptoms? Ways of transmission of dengue fever – 3
According to the World Health Organization’s latest classification, dengue infections can occur in 4 clinical types:
Unidentified fever or viral syndrome
Classic dengue fever
Dengue hemorrhagic fever
Dengue shock syndrome
It is characterized by a fever lasting between 2 and 7 days. Dengue symptoms typically last 2-7 days. Most people recover after about a week. Severe dengue fever can be life-threatening within a few hours and usually requires hospitalization. After the fever subsides, symptoms such as persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain and difficulty breathing may develop. These are the initial signs of a 24-48 hour period of fluid retention in the abdominal and pleural cavities due to an excessive increase in peripheral vascular permeability. If not corrected by treatment, the patient will die of circulatory failure and shock. The following history and findings may be instructive in recognizing dengue fever:
Acute febrile illness with sudden onset lasting at least 2-7 days,
Headache, typically pain behind the eyes,
Muscle and joint pains,
Signs of rash and bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums, subcutaneous bleeding…),
Presence of dengue cases at the same time and place and history of contact,
Travel history to an endemic area,
TRANSMISSION ROUTES OF DENGUE FEVER
It is carried and transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. Aedes mosquitoes (Ae. Aegypti or Ae. Albopictus) transmit dengue, Zika, chikungunya and other viruses to humans through the bite of an infected person. Since this mosquito prefers relatively clean water sources, places such as floodplains and sewage pipes in houses can be ideal for the settlement of this species, so urban spread can also be observed in outbreaks. These mosquitoes usually lay eggs in containers that hold stagnant water, such as buckets, animal containers, flower pots and vases.
These mosquitoes, which spread dengue, chikungunya and Zika, bite day and night. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite an infected person. Infected mosquitoes then spread the virus to other people through bites. A pregnant woman who is already infected with dengue can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy or during childbirth. To date, the only documented case of transmission through breast milk has been published. Because of the benefits of breastfeeding, mothers are advised to breastfeed even in dengue risk areas. Rarely, the virus can also spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants or needle injuries.
