MANILA, Philippines - With heavy rain comes the peak of dengue infection, and now that the country is in the midst of the rainy season, Makati Medical Center runs down everything from symptoms to prevention tips to help everyone safeguard themselves against this deadly disease.
“Dengue is a disease that can be fatal, especially when not treated promptly,” reveals Vilma M. Co MD, head of MakatiMed’s Infectious Disease Section.
She says the patient usually experiences fever and other signs of dengue, lasting from two to four days, followed by a quick drop in his body temperature and profuse sweating.
“The presence of the Dengue Triad — high grade fever from 39.5 to 41.4°C, skin rashes described as reddish or purplish dots, and headache accompanied by other pains — are characteristic of the illness,” says Dr. Co. “Bleeding gums, red palms and soles, pain behind the eyes, with relative low heart rate and low blood pressure, are other signs of dengue. Patients should also be cautious because they may feel well at one point, normally a day after, and may think he is already cured. But soon he will go through another abrupt rise in body temperature.”
“When the early symptoms are not recognized and left untreated, the illness may become severe, causing the patient to develop Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever,” she adds. “At this point, the patient shows signs of hemorrhage in the body, such as bleeding in the nose and gums, dark-colored or black stool or vomitus, easy bruising, and severe abdominal pain.”
Such symptoms indicate that the illness is already in its late stage, and if still untreated, it can be life-threatening, progressing to a more severe form — Dengue Shock Syndrome, cautions Dr. Co.
Up to now, no medicine, vaccine, drug, or antibiotic has been developed to prevent an individual from having dengue. “And just one bite of an infected mosquito is enough to transmit the infection,” she says.
The risk of being bitten is highest during the early morning, several hours after daybreak, and in the late afternoon before sunset. However, mosquitoes may feed at any time during the day.
“Mosquitoes are rampant during the rainy season, and they can breed even in water-filled flower pots, plastic bags, and cans,” informs Dr. Co. “The only way to prevent infection is eliminating mosquitoes by destroying their breeding grounds. Mosquitoes typically live indoors and are often found in dark, cool places such as closets, under the bed, behind curtains, and in bathrooms, so it’s important to keep these areas clean. Always empty, clean, or cover any container that houses stagnant water, such as water storage tanks or flower pot trays.”
Dr. Co says the virus isn’t spread via person-to-person contact and isn’t contagious. The mosquitoes are the carriers and they have to be eliminated to stop the spread of the illness.
“Protect yourself from infected mosquitoes by keeping your surroundings clean,” Dr. Co says.
Makati Medical Center runs down everything from symptoms to prevention tips to help everyone safeguard themselves against this deadly disease.