What is Dengue Fever?
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
Is an acute infectious viral disease usually affecting infants and young children. It is characterized by fever during the initial phase, and other symptoms like headache, pain in the eye, joint pain, muscle pain, etc. followed by signs of bleeding, e.g., petechiae (red tiny spots on the skin), nosebleeding, gumbleeding,. If there is blood in the stools and/or blood in the vomitus and accompanied by shock, this is called Dengue Shock Syndrome and is often fatal.
Aedes Aegypti, the transmitter of the disease, is a day-bitting mosquito which lays eggs in clear water container, such as flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house.
What are the Symptoms of Dengue H-Fever?
Sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 7 days.
Joint & muscle pain and pain behind the eyes.
Weakness
Skin Rashes – moculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae
Nosebleeding when fever starts to subside
Enlargement of Liver
Vomitting of coffee-colored matter
Dark-colored stools
How to Prevent Dengue H-Fever?
The Community should organize themselves to remove all possible breeding places of mosquitoes inside and outside of houses such as tin cans, rubber tires, bottles or drain accumulated water from tress and plants.
Cover water storage containers to prevent breeding of mosquitoes
Clean Houser gutter to prevent stagnation of rain water
Isolate patients suffering from Dengue H-Fever for at least 5 Days
Report to the nearest health center any suspected case of Dengue H-Fever in the neighborhood
