Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito borne single-stranded RNA virus of family Flaviviridae; genus Flavivirus. Till date Five serotypes of the virus have been found known to cause disease.

What is Dengue fever and Dengue haemorrhagic fever(DHF)?

Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever(DHF) is also a severe dengue has a potentially deadly complication due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, severe bleeding, or organ impairment.

Where Dengue virus is spreading and how?

Approximately about 40%(2.3 billion people) of world population is living in areas where there is risk of dengue transmission risk. It is endemic in 100 countries in asia, the pacific, the Americas, the Africas, the Caribbean. However some studies have estimated that more than 3 billion people in 128 countries are at risk. Most of cases go under reported so actual no varies in different studies.

WHO(World health organization) estimates that 50 to 100 million infections occur yearly, including 500,000 DHF cases and 22,000 deaths, mostly among children.

Source Globalbiodefense.com

Source www.news-medical.net

So is it in USA?

Luckily in USA all dengue cases reported in the 48 continental states were acquired elsewhere by travelers or immigrants this is because contact between Aedes and people is infrequent in the continental U.S., these imported cases rarely result in secondary transmission. The last reported continental dengue outbreak was in South Texas in 2005 and a small dengue outbreak occurred in Hawaii in 2001.

Transmission

Dengue is transmitted between people by the female mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which are found throughout the world. Symptoms of infection usually begin 4 - 7 days after the mosquito bite and typically last 3 - 10 days. In order for transmission to occur the mosquito must feed on a person during a 5- day period when large amounts of virus are in the blood.

After entering the mosquito in the blood meal, the virus will require an additional 8-12 days incubation before it can then be transmitted to another human. The mosquito remains infected for the remainder of its life, which might be days or a few weeks.

In rare cases dengue can be transmitted in organ transplants or blood transfusions from infected donors.

Actually according to CDC(Center of disease control and prevention) The four dengue viruses originated in monkeys and jumped to humans in Africa or Southeast Asia between 100 and 800 years ago. Dengue remained a relatively minor, geographically restricted disease until the middle of the 20th century

Source Medindia.net

What symptoms you may develop after Dengue infection?

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

• High Grade fever
• Headache
• Nausea
• Stomach ache
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain
• Rashes
• Mild bleeding gums

Image Source www.shutterstock.com

Symptom of Dengue haemorrhagic fever(DHF)

Signs and symptoms are similar to DF only difference is plasma leakage from blood occurs in DHF
And it has tendency to develop to very lethal Dengue shock syndrome(DSS)

What is Dengue Shock Syndrome(DSS)?

It’s the lethal and very severe form of DHF. If you have DHF you may need immediate emergency medical care or even Intensive care.

In layman terms It’s a circulatory failure where your most of blood plasma has leaked out which is insufficient to provide nutrition to main organs.

Source CDC Guidelines

So how doctor diagnose dengue fever?

Clinically doctor diagnose it by signs and symptoms.

Dengue should be suspected when a high fever (40°C/104°F) is accompanied by 2 of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands or rash. Symptoms usually last for 2–7 days, after an incubation period of 4–10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito.

Is there any laboratory test for dengue?

Yes, a case of dengue will have to get his/her blood checked if doctor suspects it so.
Here are different test doctors do if you have dengue virus

Source WHO

Is there any treatment available or any vaccine to prevent me from dengue?

Yes but there is no specific treatment available to treat dengue fever. Doctors approach symptomatically to treat dengue.

Persons who think they have dengue should use analgesics (pain relievers) with acetaminophen and avoid those containing ibuprofen, Naproxen, aspirin or aspirin containing drugs. They should also rest, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, avoid mosquito bites while febrile and consult a physician.

Go IMMEDIATELY to an emergency room or the closest health care provider if any of the following warning signs appear:

• Severe abdominal pain or persistent vomiting
• Red spots or patches on the skin
• Bleeding from nose or gums
• Vomiting blood
• Black, tarry stools (feces, excrement)
• Drowsiness or irritability
• Pale, cold, or clammy skin
• Difficulty breathing

VACCINATION

Till date health professionals have no vaccine but we have some vaccine in clinical trial phase 2 and 3. So vaccination for dengue may come in next 5 years. The problem in manufacturing dengue vaccine is because there is lack of knowledge how immune system of human will respond to attenuated dengue virus and also due to 4 different serotypes of dengue virus.

How to prevent from dengue virus affecting your health?

1. Eliminate the places where the mosquito lays her eggs, like artificial containers that hold water in and around the home. Outdoors, clean water containers like pet and animal watering containers, flower planter dishes or cover water storage barrels. Look for standing water indoors such as in vases with fresh flowers and clean at least once a week.

2. Use repellent on your skin while indoors or out. When possible, wear long sleeves and pants for additional protection

3. Sleep under a mosquito bed net, eliminate mosquitoes you find indoors and wear repellent

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_virus
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs117/en/
https://www.cdc.gov/dengue
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/44188/1/9789241547871_eng.pdf
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/dengue-fever-reference#2

Stay Safe and take care. Thanks for your time. If you have any questions or information that i missed do comment. If you like like my presentation upvote.