Dengue infections have spread all over the world and in most cases, modern hospital management and care manages to get the patient back to normal health. The few who die from the disease are a unique bunch who develop a sort of shock-syndrome to the virus, with their bodies reacting so violently they present symptoms the alternate name of dengue is known, hemorrhagic fever that can result in death. (more…)

Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (also known as break-bone fever) are acute febrile diseases which may be severe and potentially deadly if not treated immediately. Disease transmission is through the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. Presently, there are four different viruses known to cause dengue hemorrhagic fever to humans.

The dengue patient may experience irritation, restlessness, sweating, severe headache, muscle and joint pains, fever, petechial rash, and ecchymosis.

There is still no known cure or vaccine for dengue. Treatments available are increase fluid intake and administration of IV fluids and electrolytes to correct electrolyte imbalances and dehydration, oxygen therapy to treat abnormal low blood oxygen, and transfusion of fresh blood or platelets to correct the bleeding problems. Rest is important for dengue patients. For severe headache and joint and muscle pains, Acetaminophen and codeine may be given. Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided to avoid bleeding problems.

The first recorded outbreak happened in Australia last 1897. A reoccurrence was noted in 1928 during an epidemic in Greece and again, for the third time, in Taiwan last 1931. The initial outbreak in Australia verified the epidemic there. It was not long before it reached other Asian countries including India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, as well as in Singapore, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Palau, Philippines, Tahiti and Vietnam in the Western Pacific Region. Today, Dengue has most definitely come a long way from being a rare symptom on a foreign land to becoming a common house hold killer among locals evident in almost all Asian nations. 

Palau’s Bureau of Public Health has alerted the public that there is a continued increase in the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever. This is after conducting several tests starting May of last year (2007). Results state that the number has reached the double-digit category with 16 new cases reported in the first couple of weeks of February 2008 alone.

Information on preventive measures such as cleaning and maintaining yards to eliminate all actual and potential mosquito breeding sites have been disseminated among residents of the famous vacation spot.

The public has also been encouraged to use insect repellant and wearing of clothing that offers maximum body coverage (long sleeves, pants, socks and shoes) when cleaning around the house.

Source: mvariety

Researchers from The University of Arizona in Tucson have discovered that a particular species of mosquito, the Aedes aegypti (the infamous dengue carrier), has quite a complex metabolic pathway. It requires its members to excrete toxic nitrogen after feasting on human blood. If they do not do this, they also fail to lay eggs which will eventually weaken and kill them.

Neat huh?

The team of researchers composed of leader Roger L. Miesfeld, members Patricia Y. Scaraffia, Guanhong Tan, Jun Isoe, BIO5 member Vicki H. Wysocki, and the late Michael A. Wells will be publishing the results of their study in the January 15 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The group believes that further development of this project, such as finding a way to keep the mosquitoes from excreting nitrogen, will help eradicate the deadly disease

Source: CCNMag

Dengue is associated with poorer tropical third world countries. Leaders in Thailand warned his countrymen of the dengue epidemic that took the lives of six Thais and infected 6000 more. the Cambodian government felt it only right to focus on prevention instead of a cure. Cambodia has one of the most numbers of people infected by the Dengue fever. The Dengue prevention organization also believes that educational programs are not prioritized seeing that resources to implement them are not evaluated on a regular basis. , Dengue casualties were reduced significantly with the advent of vaccines and anti-biotic along with deadly viruses such as smallpox, poliomyelitis, and acute rheumatic fever. The World Health Organization stated that since 1998, infectious and parasitic diseases killed one-third of all deaths in the world in 1997.

Image from All Refer Health

It would be quite funny to automatically check yourself after a mosquito bite for signs of dengue fever, but it does pay to know its symptoms. The signs of dengue fever may only start to show three to fifteen days after being bitten. The patient will experience chills, and headache. There would also be pain upon moving the eyes, the lower back, and joints. Temperature due to fever can rise up to 104� F (40� C). Heart rate and blood pressure becomes low. Eyes redden and a pink rash appears then disappears over the face. Lymph nodes are also swollen. If any of these signs strike, it is best to check into a hospital immediately.

Source: MedicineNet

There may be hope for dengue cure after all. Unfortunately, we all still have to wait a few more years � well, until 2012. That�s how long until the vaccine Tetravalent, manufactured by drug company Sanofi will be ready to be submitted for approval.

According to reports of the drug trial conducted in the United States, the vaccine was found to be 100% effective against all four serotypes of the virus that are responsible for the deadly dengue fever. Sanofi plans also to do clinical trials of said vaccine in Asia and Latin America. Now isn�t this good news?

Source: News Medical

With incidences of dengue fever rising in developing countries, development of a cure should really be ramped up. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for dengue fever. So the best thing that everyone should do is to nip things in the bud and prevent becoming sick in the first place.

One of the best ways to prevent yourself from contracting dengue fever is to wear mosquito repellent. This is probably the single best way to stop from being infected. There are many mosquito repellent formulas being sold in the market today. There are even some all-natural formulas that you can also look into if you want a safer formulation.

Dengue alert in Queensland’s far north.

Two people in Port Douglas have contracted dengue-fever while two more have fallen ill in the neighboring town of Mossman earlier this month, according to Queensland Health.

Brian Montgomery from the Tropical Population Health Network says that authorities are doing what they can to alleviate the problem. Local councils are now doing yard inspections and are helping in disseminating information that educates people about this mosquito-borne disease. They are also encouraging local residents to be more ware of their surroundings and help get rid of water where said insects could breed.

Source: ABC