Dengue fever is an acute illness caused by mosquitoes that carries viruses. It is marked by features of joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, and fever and skin rash. Dengue fever is an epidemic and the symptoms last only for 2 weeks. Treatment is given for reducing the intensity of symptoms since no medicine is available for treating it. Dengue fever infection can be had by any age group of persons but the people with weakened immunity have increased risk of contracting it. Dengue fever is also called as “dandy fever” and “breakbone fever”.
Who Are At Risk?
Tropical zones are prone to get attacked by dengue fever. The regions like Puerto Rico in the Caribbean and the Virgin Islands, Cuba of the America developed outbreak of dengue fever. However cases of outbreaks have been reported in Singapore, Thailand, India, Southeast Asian countries and the South Pacific regions also.
How It Spreads?
The mosquito of family Aedes aegypti carries the virus that causes dengue fever and transmits the virus when it bites the person. Even single bite received from carrier mosquito is enough to cause dengue fever. Unlike other infectious diseases, dengue does not spread from one person to the other directly. The mosquito will carry the virus from the bloodstream of the infected person and bite another person nearby thus passing the virus to him.
Dengue Fever Symptoms :
The person who is bitten by the infected mosquito will not get the symptoms immediately. There is a gap of 3-10 days from the date of mosquito bite to the onset of first sign which is called as incubation period. Initial symptoms of dengue fever include chills/fever, sudden headache and pain on moving the eyes. The joints of the entire body begin to experience sharp pain from time to time and the pain is felt more on the leg joints. Some people may have nausea, vomiting sensation with severe muscle pain and backache.