With the country huffing and puffing from heatwave in the months of April and May, the start of rains in June comes as a respite from the hot spell; but with it also comes the menace of mosquitoes, which puts you between the devil and the deep sea, so to say!

The refreshing petrichor of rains brings with it the nuisance that is mosquitoes! Mosquitoes are a harbinger of viral fevers that kill all the rejuvenation that you get with the fresh aroma of the first rains.

People crowding hospitals is a common sight soon after monsoon sets-in and one of the main reasons for this is the Dengue Fever. The word Dengue Fever overwhelms the ill-informed populace, because of which many resort to indigenous quackery. 

So, what is Dengue Fever? Dengue Fever is an illness caused by infection with a virus transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. Aedes mosquito is unusual in that it typically bites during the early morning and evenings, though contrary is also possible. Though it is recognised by the characteristic black and white stripes on its body and legs, one cannot wait to look at the mosquito before it bites, to see whether one is bitten by the Aedes Mosquito or not. Lot of importance is given to this particular aspect, which becomes redundant once the mosquito bites you. Likewise, tomes have been written that only the female mosquitoes bite; is it really important to know the gender of the mosquito when it bites, because male mosquitoes anyway do not bite human beings. 

Be that as it may, Dengue fever is one of the most common mosquito-borne viral fevers that attack human beings. Once the Aedes mosquito gets the virus into its body, it gets infected with the virus for life. When such a mosquito bites an individual, it takes a blood meal from the infected individual and bites someone else living in the proximity and thus spreads the infection from person to person. 

According to WHO, Dengue fever can be of 2 types, uncomplicated and severe.The uncomplicated one resolves by itself in 7 to 10 days but may become severe between the third and seventh day of illness, when the temperature comes down. It is important to look out for warning signs that portend severity of infection. Severe infection, called as Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, comes with, as the type says, severe bleeding in the body that may require hospitalisation and as well can become life threatening.

Dengue fever is diagnosed clinically by what is known as ‘Dengue triad’ that includes fever, rash and headache. Apart from this there may be severe body pains, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion.The warning signs that predict the illness turning severe are stomach pain, nausea vomiting or vomiting blood, passing blood in the stools and bleeding from the nose or gums.

Best way to take care is to prevent the mosquito bites, which reminds us to prevent mosquito breeding. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and one should always be conscious of the places where water stagnates in and around the house. Flowerpots, old tyres, buckets, puddles of water, etc. are the common breeding places and you can stop mosquito-breeding by removing all such sources of stagnant water. You should ensure to change water in vases every other day, add sand granular insecticide to water and turn over all storage containers. Clear the water blockages if any and put BTI insecticide in roof gutters at least once a month.

If going on holiday, seal off all floor and gully-traps, cover all toilet-bowls and add insecticide to pots and vases, or any other place that could collect stagnant water. Keep your neighbours informed, so that the NEA can contact you should there be a need to inspect your premises urgently. 

Apart from these general measures, it is important that preventive measures at individual level are also taken up, viz. wearing shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts, using mosquito repellents, coils and mosquito nets. 

Dr. K.S. Konappa
Peritus Healthcare Solutions
(Pioneers in Home Healthcare)
Hyderabad

www.peritushealthcaresolutions.com