DENGUE FEVER

Dengue fever is a viral fever which is transmitted by mosquitoes of genus Aedes mainly in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. There are 4 types of dengue viruses.

Transmission of dengue occurs from human to human by mosquitoes when they bite person infected with dengue virus. So mosquito than carrying dengue virus bites the healthy individual and infect the person with dengue.

Symptoms and signs of Dengue:

The incubation period (time of entry of virus and development of symptoms) on an average is 4 to 7 days and fever may last for 10 days. Fever more than 10 days duration is probably not dengue.

• High grade fever
• Sever head pain with pain behind the eyes
• Generalized pains in bones, joints and muscles
• Nausea, vomiting (diarrhoea is rare)
• Rash (after 2 to 5 days of fever), it is maculopapular or macular on face, chest, and flexor surfaces and lasts for 2 to 3 days
• Weakness
• Mild bleeding maybe from gums, nose, urine (hematuria), heavy menses, skin bleeding spots (petechiae), gastrointestinal system bleeding

Many a time’s symptoms are mild and very similar to other viral illnesses. Milder symptoms occur when infected for first time with dengue and in younger children. However, sometimes dengue may complicate into Dengue hemorrhagic fever and Dengue shock syndrome.

In Dengue hemorrhagic fever there is high grade fever with increased bleeding from different sites of body (due to falling platelet counts), with altered consciousness, abdominal pain, febrile seizures and irritability. Liver is enlarged and there maybe collection of fluid in abdomen, chest or brain.

If this state of Dengue hemorrhagic fever continues and not treated than it progresses to Dengue shock syndrome where there is massive bleeding and shock develops.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is mostly occurs in persons infected for the second time with dengue and people with weak immune system.

Diagnosing dengue:

• Dengue virus can be detected in serum, plasma or leukocytes.
• Four fold or greater increase in immunoglobulin G (IgG) or IgM antibody titers to one or more dengue virus detected in serum samples.
• Detection of dengue virus antigen (Dengue NS1) in serum samples via enzyme immunoassay (EIA)
• Detection of viral genomic sequence serum or CSF via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay
• Other laboratory tests:
  1. Complete blood count (CBC): Thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 1,00,000 per micro liter) and Leucopenia
  2. Liver function test shows mild to moderate rise in SGOT and SGPT levels
• In dengue hemorrhagic fever, the following changes in blood test is seen:
  1. Increase in hematocrit level due to plasma leak
  2. Hypoproteinemia
  3. Increased prothrombin time
  4. Increased activated partial thromboplastin time
  5. Decreased fibrinogen levels
  6. Increased amount of fibrin split products
• Stool should be tested for occult blood
• Urine routine helps to detect haematuria
• Chest X-ray if needed
• Head CT scan to detect intracranial bleeding or cerebral edema from dengue hemorrhagic fever
• USG (ultrasonography) of chest and abdomen to detect fluid collection, and thickened gallbladder in dengue hemorrhagic fever

Treatment and management:

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, oral rehydration for dehydration caused due to high fever and vomiting is recommended.

Avoid medicines like aspirin and other blood thinner medications.

If there are signs of dengue hemorrhagic fever one should get hospitalized for intravenous fluid administration and to monitor the complications.

Patients with bleeding may require transfusion, and with coagulopathy may require fresh frozen plasma.

Prevention:

There is no vaccine for protection from dengue fever.

Prevent mosquito bites by using mosquito repellents, wear long sleeves shirts and pants when outdoors.

Reduce mosquito population by changing water in stagnant places like cans, tires or flower pots.

If one member of family gets dengue fever be vigilant of protecting yourself from mosquito bites.

Role of homeopathy:

There are good number of homeopathic medicines to treat dengue fever. Few remedies with their indications:

1. Eupatorium perfoliatum: There is lot of bone pains with soreness. Throbbing headache with pain and soreness of eyeballs. Nausea and vomiting of bile. Chills between 7 and 9 am preceded by thirst. Aching in back, bones and joints of extremities.

2. Gelsemium: Dizziness, drowsiness, dullness. Muscular weakness. Slow, weak pulse. Muscular soreness with great prostration and violent headache. Thirstless. Chilliness up and down the back.

3. Rhus toxicodendron: Great restlessness. Pain and stiffness of joints better by walking about. Tongue coated except red triangular tip. During heat stage of fever urticaria. Chilly as if cold water poured over him. All pains are worse from rest and better from motion, walking.

Other remedies which can be indicated in dengue fever are Arsenic, Bryonia, China, Nux vomica.

Anyone of these remedies or some other may be indicated depending on the symptoms of the patient, in homeopathy we do not believe in specifics and so it is advisable to get treated at hands of homeopathic doctors.

Dr. Zubin S Dehmeri, MD(Hom.)

Email: connect@drzubindehmeri.com

Mob: +91-9819219042.