19-11-2012, 06:02 PM
Dengue Fever – Prevent and stop the spread
Dengue Fever.pdf (Size: 37.58 KB / Downloads: 42)
With the onset of monsoon, the mosquito menace also increases with irregular rains providing a haven
for mosquito breeding. Due to this, a dramatic increase in diseases like Dengue fever, Yellow fever,
Malaria and others occur. The mosquitoes carry viruses from person to person without being infected
themselves. In recent years, these diseases have increased predominantly in both rural and urban areas
and has become a major public health concern. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne infection transmitted
to humans through the bites of infected female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The mosquitoes usually are
active from dawn to dusk but are on a feeding frenzy at sunrise and sunset, during rainy and cloudy
weather, in dark areas, etc. This disease is very common in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Infected
people have high fever for 4 to 7 days.
Other symptoms of Dengue include: 1.High fever of about 40 deg C /104 deg F 2.Severe Headache
3.Pain behind the eyes 4.Muscle and Joint pains 5.Nausea 6.Loss of Appetite 7.Vomiting 8.Swollen
glands and rashes
Dengue fever is caused by a virus and there is no specific treatment for this disease except medications
that are used to treat fever. There is no vaccine available against Dengue fever too. As the saying goes,
Prevention is better than Cure, The only way to address this, is to avoid the breeding places of
mosquitoes and curtail their spread.
Preventive measures you could take to stop Dengue fever:
• Aedes aegypti mosquitoes lay eggs on stagnant water. So the first and the foremost thing to do
is to look for any dirty stagnant water in and around.
• Frequently clean and replace the water in vases, pots, planters, aquariums, etc. After use clean
and keep the pails, cans, buckets upside down.
• Keep your courtyard and surroundings clean.
• Dispose the trash properly at the designated place.
• Cover, empty and clean household storage containers on a day to day basis.
• Pick up a N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) containing mosquito repellent.
• Use indoor sprays to eliminate mosquitoes.
• Avoid dark areas and stay in brightly lit areas.
In case you are that unlucky one being bitten by an infected mosquito, Do not panic. Seek immediate
help from a medical practitioner . There are numerous other natural remedies too. Some of the useful
home remedies that can be of great help in treating Dengue are as follow:
1..Drink herbal tea made of holy basil, ginger and cardamom that helps in reducing high fever.2..Drink
Orange juice that helps in proper digestion, improves urination and boosts the body immunity. 3..Drink
plenty of water or diluted fresh fruit juice to prevent dehydration due to high fever, or vomiting.4..Eat
baked toasts, porridge and biscuits.5..Consume juice extracted from fresh papaya leaves.6..Increase the
intake of high-protein food.