When My Son Got Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

What animal you were afraid? Is it lion, tiger, or snake? Ya, commonly people afraid with wild thing like that animal. But not about me. I afraid with mosquito. Exactly since 4 months ago, when my little son got Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever that little animal make very scared. Knowing my baby got the disease like nightmare. Why not? Every disease that can cause dehydration such as diarrhea and DHF can be fatal for babies since 60 % of their body consists of fluid. To know more about this disease let we learn now.

So what is Dengue Fever? Actually Dengue Fever is very common disease in tropical country like Indonesia. Almost all season we can find patient with the disease. That is caused by Dengue Virus and transmitted to humans through the bites of infective female Aedes mosquitoes. Mosquitoes acquire the virus while biting an infected person.
After virus incubation for eight to 10 days, an infected mosquito is capable, during probing and blood feeding, of transmitting the virus for the rest of its life. Infected female mosquitoes may also transmit the virus to their offspring by transovarial (via the eggs) transmission, but the role of this in sustaining transmission of the virus to humans has not yet been defined.
Infected humans are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus, serving as a source of the virus for uninfected mosquitoes. The virus circulates in the blood of infected humans for two to seven days, at approximately the same time that they have a fever; Aedes mosquitoes may acquire the virus when they feed on an individual during this period. Some studies have shown that monkeys in some parts of the world play a similar role in transmission ( WHO)
How can we know that someone getting DF or DHF?
Dengue Fever or Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever only can be detected with blood test. But initially we can observe physical sign and symptom. Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults.
The symptom may vary depend on the age of the infected person.Infants and young children may have a fever with rash. Older children and adults may have either a mild fever or the classical incapacitating disease with abrupt onset and high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rash.
Dengue Fever that is followed by bleeding named Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. It has dangerous complications that are characterized by high fever, often with enlargement of the liver, and in severe cases circulatory failure. The disease begin with very high temperature and ten followed by flu-like sympThe illness often begins with a sudden rise in temperature accompanied by facial flush and other flu-like symptoms. The fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 41°C, possibly with convulsions and other complications.
All signs and symptoms will disappear after the fever subsides. But in severe cases, the patient will get shock because of circulatory failure that means patient is in critical condition. And if they don’t get proper treatment most cases death usually occur.
How to treat patient with DF or DHF?
There is no cure for Dengue. The treatment is only depending on the appeared signs and symptoms. Plenty of drink, rest properly, and observe general condition is very important. Check thrombocyte should be done everyday. And in severe DHF parenteral fluid and blood transfusion may needed. And if patient is in critical state ICU is the right room.
So how can we do to protect our family from Dengue?
Because no cure and also no vaccine for Dengue until now, the one that we could do is only ovoid infected mosquitoes.
Mosquito larva living in the water. Avoid stuck water in environment is the best way out. In Indonesia we have specific program named 3M ( menutup, menguras, dan mengubur).
Vector control is implemented using environmental management and chemical methods. Proper solid waste disposal and improved water storage practices, including covering containers to prevent access by egg-laying female mosquitoes are among methods that are encouraged through community-based programmes.
The application of appropriate insecticides to larval habitats, particularly those that are useful in households, e.g. water storage vessels, prevents mosquito breeding for several weeks but must be re-applied periodically. Small, mosquito-eating fish and copepods (tiny crustaceans) have also been used with some success.
Always keep the water flow closed, don’t let a metal or plastic container everywhere and clean water container in or home often. Traditional way such as using curtain around the bed is also effective. Instead get rid the mosquitoes by using chemical insecticides that enable to inhaled in a long time is not encouraged.