Dengue fever

Eassay Outline

1. Introduction
2. Symptoms of disease
3. History and development
4. Victims
5. Preventive measures
6. Conclusion

Dengue fever is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. In a small proportion of cases, the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage, or into dengue shock syndrome, where dangerously low blood pressure occurs.

The incidence of dengue fever has increased dramatically since the 1960s, with around 50 100 million people infected yearly. Dengue has become a problem in more than 110 countries. Apart from eliminating the mosquitoes, work is ongoing on a vaccine, as well as medication targeted directly at the virus.

Typically, people infected with dengue virus only have mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever. Others have more severe illness and in a small proportion it is life threatening.

When a mosquito carrying dengue virus bites a person, the virus enters the skin together with the mosquito’s saliva. It enters white blood cells and reproduces inside the cells while they move throughout the body.

Dengue fever may be diagnosed by microbiological laboratory testing but these tests are not widely available due to their high cost. All tests may be negative in the early stages of the disease.

There are no approved vaccines for the dengue virus. Prevention thus depends on control of and protection from the bites of the mosquito that transmits it.

The primary method of controlling it is by eliminating its habitats. This is done by emptying containers of water or by adding insecticides or biological control agents to these areas; although spraying with organophosphate insecticide is not thought to be effective. Reducing open collections of water through environmental modification is the preferred method of control, given the concerns of negative health effect from insecticides and greater logistical difficulties with control agents. People can prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers the skin, using mosquito netting while resting and/or the application of insect repellent.

Apart from attempts to control the spread of the Aedes mosquito and work to develop a vaccine against dengue, there are ongoing efforts to develop antiviral drugs that would be used to treat attacks of dengue fever and prevent severe complications.

Fortunately, government took effective steps to eradicate this scourge and in summer 2012, no case of dengue is reported across the country. Government should be conscious of its attacks in future and take preventive measures so that this disease must be prevented from spreading.