What is dengue, how to avoid?

Dengue is a disease transmitted by the bite of a female Aedes mosquito. This disease is caused by an RNA virus called dengue. The disease is transmitted from person to person through the bite of the Aedes mosquito.

Dengue virus is a major RNA virus belonging to the Arbovirus group. So far, five serotypes of this virus have been identified: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4, and DEN-5.

The disease is transmitted from person to person mainly during daytime by the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito. This species of mosquito has many roles in the transmission of dengue disease as it will suck the blood of more than one person to complete its diet. Dengue is also transmitted by the bite of another mosquito called Aedes alvopictus. But since this mosquito feeds on the blood of a single person, its effectiveness is less than that of aegypti.

Mainly during the rainy season, Aedes mosquitoes live in stagnant water and stored water in ditches, roofs, pots, coolers, tires, etc. around the house. It produces larvae in such places and increases its number. Therefore, to prevent the spread of dengue disease and to control it, we should clean the water storage areas well and cover the stored water.

Within 3-14 days of being bitten by an Aedes mosquito infected with dengue virus, the dengue virus starts spreading in our body and gradually its symptoms appear. Symptoms appear according to the three main stages of dengue disease.

As there is no cure for dengue disease, supportive treatment is given based on the patient’s symptoms and lab report. If you have any symptoms of dengue fever, you should immediately go to the hospital and do a dengue lab test according to your doctor’s advice. In dengue lab test, dengue antigen (NS1), antibody (IgM, IgG) test and blood cell count (CBC) test are done to tell if it is dengue or not. PCR and viral isolation can also be done for dengue virus.

What should be done to avoid dengue disease?

Preventing rainwater from freezing around the house, spraying insecticides and kerosene on stagnant water, making drainage holes, and adopting other mosquito control measures.