september, 2019 | The Health
issue: dengue
know about dengue
Treatment
• There is no actual ‘cure’ for dengue as it is caused
by a viral infection. It will be fought off by our
immune system. Treatment usually involves
managing the symptoms. Patients are advised to
increase fluid intake to about 2 to 2.5 litres a day for
an average adult weighing 70kg (drink more water!).
• Upon recovery, patients might develop an itchy
rash on the arms, legs, and trunk. This is normal and
temporary, and doctors might prescribe patients
with antihistamines and topical cream to manage
the itch.
• The key is to NEVER DELAY in getting diagnosed
by the doctor, manage the symptoms accordingly,
and drink lots of water.
Myth surrounding
dengue fever
• Heavy reliance on platelet count to diagnose
dengue fever. In many cases, patients with
dengue fever does not exhibit low platelet
count during the earlier stages.
• Falling platelet count does not exclusively
lead to clinical bleeding.
• Right way is to monitor the percentage of
red blood cells in the body and administer
fluids regularly to keep it within appropriate
range.
Dengue
haemorrhagic
fever (DHF)
• A type of dengue fever with
rising packed cell volume and
rapid fall of platelet count. It leads
to plasma fluid accumulation
in; plueral space (lung lining)
and peritoneal cavity (space
surrounding the abdomen).
Dengue Shock
Syndrome (DSS)
• DSS is an elevated state of DHF; caused by the
presence of low blood pressure.
• Occurs as a result of delay in diagnosis, delay in
seeking treatment, failure to recognise severity,
and instituting appropriate treatment.
• It causes immune system injury,
which then leads to leakage of
plasma from the body. Leakage
translates to clinical bleeding from
the nose, gums, gastrointestinal
tract, urinary tract, lungs, and the
brain.
• If left uncorrected, it leads to
shrinkage of intravascular blood
volume, low blood pressure,
multi-organ failure, and
eventually death.
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