Dengue Fever Spread: A Growing Global Health Crisis:

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Dengue fever, commonly referred to as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne disease that has now turned into a major global health tragedy. WHO estimates about 400 million dengue infections occurring yearly in more than one hundred and twenty eight countries across the world of which nearly 10,000 people die annually. In this Blog we provide a review for dengue fever spread and its beginning, its symptoms and signs, transmission, prevention, and treatment, as well as current state of research and capability for future traits.

Table of Contents

Symptoms of Dengue Fever:

Dengue fever usually begins with flu-like symptoms and remains which include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain (also known as “breakbone fever”), and excessive fatigue. Also dengue fever is capable of causing in some cases also a rash, nausea, vomiting or eye ache. Dengue fever’s symptoms range from mild to severe with the latter potentially resulting in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). DHF presents signs such as blood loss from the nose, mouth, and gums, as well as bleeding underneath the skin, while DSS is characterized through an impressive drop in blood pressure, i.e. to shock.

Transmission of Dengue Fever:

Dengue fever is spread by the Aedes Mosquito which is found in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. The Aedes mosquito often breeds in popular water which include buckets, tires and flower pots and is most active during the day and early evening. The virus that causes dengue fever spreads via the bites of infected mosquitoes, and it may take up to 2 weeks for symptoms to appear after being infected. Dengue fever is not transmitted via contact individual-to-individual but rather through the bites of infected mosquitoes.

Prevention of Dengue Fever Spread:

Prevention of dengue fever consists of a number of techniques, which includes:

Mosquito manipulation: Where it applies is to decrease the range size of a mosquitoes population.
Vaccination: A number of dengue fever vaccines are at the moment in development, and some were already accredited for use in certain countries. Vaccination is an effective way to prevent dengue fever which in turn, could give long-term immunity to the virus.
Education: Teaching human beings of dangers of dengue fever and how to shop could reduce the occurrence of the disease. This means all the preventive measures such as educating people about staying away from mosquito bites, proper way of removing stagnant water etc. and dengue illness symptoms and signs included.

Treatment of Dengue Fever:

Presently there is no exact treatment for dengue fever as most people recover from the disease without any medical intervention. Notwithstanding, during arduous times, hospitalization is necessary to ascertain blood pressure and prevent headaches associated with DHF and DSS. In some of the cases, intravenous fluids can be demanded for you to get you from dehydration and blood transfusions could be essential to supplant blood loss.

Current State of Research:

Research into dengue fever is ongoing, with some of studies that specialize in areas which consist of:

Vaccine improvement: Several dengue fever vaccines are under development now; some of them are good though approval has not been granted yet even for the best ones. Scientists are rushing to improve the effectiveness and safety of these vaccines in a similar manner to creating new vaccines which might provide prolonged immunity towards the virus.
Mosquito manage: Scientists are working on diverse strategies to alter the Aedes mosquito, utilizing genetically modified mosquitoes resistant to the dengue virus as well as the use of new insecticides that can kill mosquitoes more efficiently.
Disease surveillance: Research is being done in improving the sickness reporting systems which would help in sensitizing about the dengue outbreaks quickly and give more correct details about the progress of the disease.

Economic and Social Impact of Dengue Fever:

Although dengue fever is not the deadliest mosquito-borne disease it has enormous health, socio and economic impact. The negative economic effects of dengue fever are evident in many ways; they are among others loss of productivity, higher health care costs, and reduced tourism incomes. Sometime, extended absenteeism from faculty of staff due to dengue fever leads to long-run impact on children’s education and future income opportunities. Another societal impact of dengue fever is the increase of social inequality. People who come from poverty-stricken conditions are more likely to be tortured by the disease due to poor living conditions which include the lack of access to clean water or proper waste management. Moreover dengue fever spread is associated with enhanced social stigma making those who had the illness to be ostracized from their groups due to the fear of contamination.

Role of Climate Change inside the Spread of Dengue Fever:

Climate trading is a very big contribution to what is causing the spread of dengue fever. The Aedes mosquito – which is the dengue virus carrier – is more active in hot and humid climates; therefore, climate change leads to the regions becoming more open to outbreaks of dengue fever.

What’s more, weather exchange is forcing urbanization, which in turn creates breeding grounds and facilitates Aedes mosquitoes to transmit the virus as urban areas tend to have high volumes of standing water due to poor waste management and inadequate infrastructure for handling rainwater runoff. In addition, climate change is responsible for more frequent extreme weather events such as heavy rains and flooding, providing Aedes mosquitoes with extra breeding opportunities and the possibility to transmit the virus, also leading to increased water storage and retention in urban areas which in turn create more opportunities for the virus to spread through the city water cycle. These elements are culpable for the rising incidence of dengue fever in many parts of the globe, notably in low- and middle income nations facing significant health and social challenges.

Conclusion:

Global dengue fever epidemic is the major epidemiological challenge nowadays and implies regular studies, prevention and response measures. Dengue comes with a lot of socioeconomic impacts; it is now evident that climate change and urbanization are major players in the propagation of dengue fever. Dengue prevention strategies in the context of climate change and urbanization, should take these factors into consideration and incorporate urban planning, infrastructure, community engagement and education, research and innovation.