The rate of deaths associated with dengue fever is now becoming less. But
this does not mean that we should not put concern on it. Many of my friends
had dengue and according to them, it is not easy. We should keep in mind
that dengue fever is fatal and it must be prevented.
As what people who are associated with the health department say, we must
prevent it. And this is prevented by particularly, keeping our homes
clean—inside and outside.
Aedes Aegypti, the kind of mosquito that carries the disease, lays their
eggs in stagnant water which is found in our homes. Change the water in
flower vases every other day to prevent the mosquitoes from laying their egg
there. And keep the water containers covered,.
For yourself, see to it that you apply mosquito repellant lotion. Several
are available in the market with variations of scents.
Bear in mind that prevention is better than cure.
According to the English number one university, Oxford, about 20 million
people are expected to die of Dengue annually worldwide. But fear not for
they have introduced a new technique to fight the disease, it is called
Oxitec Ltd, and it is one of the 39, selected from a field of 273, that has
been named as Technology Pioneer 2008 by the World Economic Forum. It uses
genetics and molecular biology which make male mosquitoes sterile thus
making them unable to reproduce. “This prize is an external validation of
our technology and our business plan,” Dr. Luke Alphey, the developer of the
technology told the BBC.
Bugs versus bugs
Scientists, with the help of local children in Vietnam have found an
alternative way to fight off dengue-carrying mosquitoes. They found out that
there are certain types of water bugs that destroy said mosquitoes. They
have been placing these bugs in nine areas of north and central Vietnam and
they have observed that cases of dengue fever in said areas have been
reduced to zero over a five year period. One of the scientists in this
research, Professor Brian Kay, from the Queensland Institute of Research,
said that this scheme is being extended to 37 other areas of Vietnam but
wished to see it used on a global scale.
Pregnancy And Dengue
There is slight information in available reports concerning the penalties of
dengue illness for pregnant women. No persuasive confirmation representing
an association between dengue contamination during pregnancy and hereditary
malformations has been accounted. Nevertheless, if the mother is unwell with
dengue at the moment of delivery, the child can be inborn with dengue
disease or can obtain dengue throughout the delivery practice itself, and
then increase the demonstration of dengue fever or DHF. Passive
transplacental transmit of maternal anti-dengue antibodies get hold of from
a prior maternal virus can also put infants at larger risk of DHF with their
initial dengue infection, but these maternal antibodies are unoccupied by 9
-12 months of age. Â Â
Risk Of Travellers
The chief mosquito vector, Ae. aegypti, is most commonly found in or next to
human habitations and favors to nourish on humans during the daylight. It
has two crest stages of biting movement: in the break of day for a number of
hours later than daybreak and in the late hours of daylight for several
hours previous to dark. Even so, the mosquito may provide for at any time
during daytime, in particular indoors, in shaded areas, or when it is
gloomy. Mosquito propagation sites contain non-natural water containers such
as unnecessary tires, exposed water storeroom barrels, buckets, flower vases
or pots, cans, and cisterns.
Awareness
Nationwide preparedness must be the slogan of all stakeholders as the not on
time initiation of crisis control measures in the face of an eruption do not
considerably lessen morbidity and may consequence in mortality that was
preventable. An assessment of obtainable resources  for vector-control,
most favorable patient care and management, epidemiologic and entomologic
surveillance, etc., in addition to their organisation and sustainability
must be assumed and identify the needs suitably addressed. The high
incidence of international and regional tour related to tourism, labour,
commerce and other actions adds to the possibility of importation and
overture of dengue virus type 3 into our regions. Accessible high Aedes
aegypti indices will improve the possible for virus diffusion in our
populations. Â
Dengue vaccine
We all know that there is no known immunity or vaccine against Dengue, but
we also know that it is a possibility waiting to become a reality. The CIGB
project might just be the answer we are all looking for. In coordination
with Mayra Mune, a molecular immunologist has evaluated the use of
recombinant protein found in yeast Pichia pastor. This can be the key in
developing a vaccine as it is observed that there is a rise both in
neutralizing antibodies against dengue as well as other tropical viruses. If
this pursues, the world can say goodbye to one of its serial killers. Â
Where can outbreaks of dengue occur?
Dengue viruses may be introduced into areas by travelers who become infected
while visiting tropical urban areas of the world where dengue commonly
exists. Where Aedes aegypti (sometimes also Aedes albopictus) mosquitoes
live, outbreaks of dengue occur. Dengue virus serotypes are now present in
almost all the American Region. It was reported that DEN-3 was reintroduced
into Central America in 1994 and is now found in several countries in the
region. This serotype has been absent from the Americas for almost 20 years
and because of this, the population has a low level of immunity and the
virus is expected to spread rapidly.
Origins and outbreak
Dengue is brought by a virus named Aedes (Stegomyia) found to be innate in
mosquitoes. Over the past 20 years, there has been massive inflation with
regards to the frequency of dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever
(DHF), and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), among other classifications. Because
of this, the World Health Organization reported in 1996 that the re-
emergence of infectious diseases was a warning that progress achieved so
far towards global security in terms of health and prosperity may be wasted.
It also furthered that infectious diseases range from those occurring in
tropical areas and most especially those among urban poor zones.Â
Dengue Surveillance in Florida, 1997-98
In Florida, a program was the designed for a dengue information for all 67
county health department epidemiologists to be distributed to hospital
emergency rooms, clinics, health departments, and infectious disease
physicians in the county. Information on case reporting, the dengue case
definition, specimen requirements and transport instructions, and a dengue
case investigation form is included in the letter of information. There will
be a free testing on state laboratory of specimens from patients with
suspected dengue were forwarded to the state laboratory for free testing. In
cases where specimens were tested at commercial laboratories only, dengue
antibody-positive results were forwarded to county health departments and to
the state laboratory for inclusion in this study. In Florida, dengue testing
is offered only by the state laboratory and some commercial clinical
laboratories.Â
Preventing Mosquito Bites
Mosquito coils and electric vapor mats are effective products to get rid of
mosquitoes especially during rainy season, just after sunrise and/or in the
afternoon hours before sunset. Mosquito nets are also effective guard over
sleeping places which can protect small children and others who are resting
during the day. The usefulness of such nets can be improved by treating them
with permethrin (a parathyroid insecticide). Curtains  can also be treated
with insecticide and hung at windows or doorways, thus, repelling or killing
mosquitoes. Meanwhile, mosquito repellents or lotions can be applied to
exposed parts of the body where mosquitoes bite. Screens on windows and
doorways as well, are effective protection against the entry of mosquitoes
in homes.Â
Macau Reports
Macau is one of the most visited cities in the world today. And since
visitors and workers arriving each day from different parts of the country,
no wonder why some get sick on a regular basis, according to the coordinator
of the control of infectious diseases in Macau. By and large, foreign
workers and tourist becomes affected of dengue virus. This is caused
whenever there is a current rise in temperature within Macau. The verdict,
Aedes mosquitoes, which carries the germ are widespread in tropical
climates. These mosquitoes are active during the day and once bitten, youâ€
™ll feel weak, therefore, transferring the disease among humans.
Symptoms of Dengue
Dengue has been an uncontrolled complaint  especially during summer and
rainy season. We all know that Dengue Fever is a flu-like sickness that has
several verifying uniqueness. Â More often than not, Â this disease have an
effect on  children and youth, and is even much fatal when taken for
granted. A number  of symptoms comprises of high fever, brutal  headache,
soreness of the eyes, muscle and joint pains as well as rashes. A person can
catch a dengue fever if they are exposed to one serotype. Whenever someone
has recovered from Dengue during it’s first hit, the  patient somehow
turns out to be immune to this single serotype. Upon a second infection, the
patient have the possibility to get a big chance of developing dengue
hemorrhagic fever which is more deadly.Â
Prevent Mosquitoes from Living around You
The best thing that you could do to prevent mosquito breeding is to get rid
of stagnant water in your home. These mosquitoes do not even need a lot of
water. Even just a bucket with a little water at the bottom, a planter that
has a bottom water catch, leaky pipes, or a pooling area under your plants
is enough for them to breed.
U.S. may see rise in threat of dengue fever
According to two of the country�s leading epidermiologists who act as
advisers to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, dengue
fever could actually cause havoc in the United States – spreading itself
widely as mosquitoes that transmit the disease can move into more states.
Anthony Fauci and David Morens state in their article in the Journal of the
American Medical Association that the potentially deadly virus that usually
strikes in the tropics has already struck Hawaii and Texas.
The reason for this is the erratic climate changes caused by global warming.
If you�ve noticed, there has been an increase in rainfall and that
temperature and humidity changes have also changed dramatically in the
recent years.
Water + heat + humidity = happy mosquitoes
And what is scary is that according to the United Nations’ 2007-08 Human
Development Report , �these types of weather changes may more than double
the number of people exposed to dengue worldwide by 2080. �
Woops! And they say Al Gore was wrong� Tsk!
Is dengue an emerging infectious disease? – Part II
     3)     Brisk growth of cities in tropical countries has
directed to congestion, urban decay, and substandard sanitation, permitting
more mosquitoes to live nearer to more people.     4)     The
amplification in non-biodegradable plastic packaging and redundant tires is
generating new breeding sites for mosquitoes. Â Â Â Â Â 5)Â Â Â Â Â
Augmented jet air travel is serving people dirty with dengue viruses to move
easily from city to city. Â Â Â Â Â 6)Â Â Â Â Â Dengue hemorrhagic fever is
as well on the upsurge. Persons who have been contaminated with one or more
variety of dengue virus are at larger risk for the more harsh disease. With
the rise in all types of virus, the rate of dengue hemorrhagic fever becomes
Is dengue an emerging infectious disease? – Part I
  Â
All types of dengue disease are re-emerging globally and producing larger
and more recurrent outbreaks, in particular in cities in the tropics. The
surfacing of dengue as a main public health crisis has been most staged in
the western hemisphere. Dengue fever has arrived at rampant levels in
Central America and is frightening the United States. There are quite a lot
of issues that are contributing to the renaissance of dengue fever:
  1)     No valuable mosquito control efforts are happening in most
countries with dengue. Â Â Â Â 2)Â Â Â Â Â Public health structures to
identify and be in charge of epidemics are worsening around the world. Â
Vector-Borne Illness
Vector-borne illnesses are those multiply by mosquitoes, sand-flies, ticks
and rodents. They comprise diseases such as dengue, West Nile and
chikungunya fever, nephropathia epidemica and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE),
in which all have the probable to affect epidemic in parts of Europe. The
outbreak of chikungunya fever in the region of Ravenna, Italy, last summer
is a picture of this danger. The initial conclusions of the risk evaluation
were presented and the  last report on the assessment will be available in
the upcoming months. The type of weather and environmental transformation
being forecast by experts will adjust the risk to Europe from vector borne
diseases.
Cuban success
The World Health Organization states that as of 1998, infectious and
parasitic diseases slashed one-third of all deaths in the world in 1997 and
43% of deaths among developing nations. The low rate in Cuba is an exception
because of the possible high educational and health awareness rate with
regards to the disease in the country. This can be attributed to the
consistent improvements of Cuba’s health system over the past 50 years which
was further amplified by its speedy modernization. The United States, a
nation thought of by most people as a world leader, is even inferior to the
Cuban health care system, a sheer proof that you don’t need power to
heal.Â
Cuban net
About 50 years back, a town along the Caribbean, which happens to be a part
of Cuba, decided that it has to hasten the pace in terms of medical
education. This was when several mass infections hit the nation at the same
time, killing so many. Among these viral killers is Dengue. Today, Cuba has
a population of about 11 million which are all served by dedicated health
workers which includes more than 70,000 medical doctors all working in a
first class medical system. Now isn’t this an inspiring scenario for other
developing countries? I mean if Cuba can do it, why cant they? It is
believed that corruption and not simple lack of resources causes nations to
have its people die of any viral epidemic.Â
Â
For the love of a cure for Dengue
Maria Maria Guzman and her husband are both working in a battle against
Dengue for 20 years now. She works at the Tropical Medicine Institute Pedro
Kourà (IPK), in Havana, Cuba as one of its head virologist. Her work there
has been acknowledged to have made significant contributions in the field of
pathogenesis, diagnosis, epidemiology, and clinical progression of this
disease. The good doctor has been with the Cuban academy of Science for the
Developing Worlds but she concentrates in the fight against Dengue. She is
currently a member of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World
Health Organization (WHO), and the Special Program for Research and Training
in Tropical Diseases (TDR).Â
Dissemination constraint
The Dengue prevention organization also believes that educational programs
are not prioritized seeing that resources to implement them are not
evaluated on a regular basis. The education is somewhat mixed-up and done
by inexperienced individuals who at most times give confusing instructions.
The training of the staff, to be truly credible in educating the public
about dengue, costs too much for countries in which the number one problem
is famine. Governments have to keep in mind that if it wants to prevent a
mass outbreak, it should make dengue prevention a priority. They don’t
have to spend much, Dengue prevention is all about making do with available
resources.Â
Education takes arms against Dengue.
Cambodia has followed suit on the band wagon to combat Dengue through
information dissemination. Seeing that dengue is actually a classified
disease, one that has a concrete source and a definite step of prevention,
the Cambodian government felt it only right to focus on prevention instead
of a cure. They are no stranger to the fact that dengue is more prevalent
among poverty stricken countries because of their unsanitary conditions as
well as their lack of means to avail of the mosquito prevention kits such as
nets, insect repellants among other devices. Cambodia has one of the most
numbers of people infected by the Dengue fever.Â
