Various questions about dengue fever & bull; hello healthy

Indonesia is a tropical country which is a habitat for dengue mosquitoes. Every year in the middle of the rainy season, usually in January, many people get dengue fever. During this season, many dengue fever mosquitoes develop and infect the people they bite. As reported on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, in January 2016, the Directorate of Vector Infectious Disease and Zoonoses Control of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia recorded 3,298 people affected by dengue and as many as 50 people died from it.

What is dengue fever?

Dengue fever still affects many Indonesians. Dengue fever is a disease caused by mosquito bites. The mosquito that carries the dengue virus is usually a mosquito Aedes aegypti. There are four virus serotypes that can cause dengue fever, namely DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4. These four serotypes have been found in Indonesia, so it is not wrong if Indonesia is one of the countries affected by the most dengue fever. These mosquito bites cause high fever, rash, and pain in muscles and joints.

What are the symptoms of dengue fever?

Many people, especially children and adolescents, show no signs or symptoms as long as they have a mild dengue fever. Usually symptoms begin to appear 4 to 10 days after being bitten by a mosquito infected with dengue fever. Symptoms that arise include:

• High fever, around 40 degrees Celsius
• Dizzy
• Pain in muscles, joints and bones
• Pain behind the eye
• Rash or red spots spreading on the skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Minor bleeding in the gums or nose

Not everyone experiences all of the symptoms listed above. Some people only develop a few symptoms.

Can dengue fever be severe?

Mild dengue fever can develop into severe dengue fever. If it has developed into severe dengue fever, various complications can occur. Dengue fever can damage organs, such as the lungs, liver and heart. Blood pressure can drop to dangerous levels and can lead to shock, in some cases even death. Therefore, if the symptoms have started to appear, you should check with your doctor before the disease starts to develop in a dangerous direction.

What is the cycle of dengue fever?

After a person is bitten by a dengue fever mosquito, that person will not immediately develop symptoms of dengue fever. Usually 4-7 days after being bitten by a dengue fever mosquito, then the symptoms will begin to appear. This time period is called the incubation period. After the incubation period, the dengue fever cycle is divided into three phases which last for approximately 10 days, namely:

1. Fever Phase. This phase begins with symptoms of dengue fever, such as high fever of more than 40 degrees C, dizziness, nausea, red spots on the skin, pain in muscles and joints, and so on. This phase usually lasts 2-7 days.
2. Critical Phase. Not everyone with dengue fever experiences this phase. This phase is characterized by a decrease in body temperature of less than 38 degrees C, usually starting from day 4 to day 7 of fever. In the critical phase there is an increase in capillary permeability and plasma leakage. This condition can cause severe pain in the stomach due to the buildup of fluid. During this critical phase, vomiting can occur more than 3 times per day, body weakness, and bleeding in the mucosal tissue.
3. Recovery Phase. This phase begins when a person has successfully passed a critical phase. The recovery phase occurs when there is a gradual re-absorption of extravascular fluid. This phase usually lasts 2 to 3 days. The recovery phase is characterized by a more fit body condition and a stable hemodynamic status. Some people experience hives and a low heart rate (bradycardia). Some also experience a rash, in the form of reddish patches with or without raised skin, followed by peeling of the skin.

What foods are good for dengue fever sufferers?

Many people bring guava fruit or guava juice when they visit their relatives who are suffering from dengue fever. However, what foods can actually help the healing process of dengue fever? These are some of the recommended foods:

• Choose foods that are easy to swallow and digest, such as foods that are boiled. When the heat is high, the mouth becomes uncomfortable when eating anything so it is advisable to eat foods that are easy to swallow, such as porridge or other soft foods. And avoid fried and oily foods because these foods are difficult to digest.
• Give fruits that contain lots of vitamin C, such as strawberries, guava, kiwi, papaya, oranges, and others. Because vitamin C helps the body produce lymphocytes, thus strengthening the immune system.
• Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration due to fluids released through vomiting and high fever. Coconut water is good for consumption because it contains a lot of electrolytes and minerals. Apart from that, you can also consume fruit juices which are rich in vitamin C.
• Give warm ginger water. Warm ginger water can give strength to the body and reduce the effects of nausea that is often felt by dengue fever sufferers.

How to prevent dengue fever?

An effective way to reduce cases of dengue fever is to reduce the habitat of the dengue mosquitoes. In Indonesia itself, there is a program to eradicate the dengue mosquito known as the Eradication of Mosquito Nests (PSN). In it, there are three activities aimed at reducing mosquito nests, namely:

1. Draining, namely cleaning places that are often used as water reservoirs such as bathtubs, buckets filled with water, drinking water reservoirs, refrigerator water containers, and other places where water is stagnant in them.
2. Closing, that is, tightly closing water reservoirs such as bathtubs, buckets filled with water, water drums, water toren, and so on.
3. Reuse or recycle used items that have the potential to become breeding grounds for dengue fever mosquitoes.

In addition, some other ways to prevent mosquito bites are:

1. Install a mosquito net on your bed, especially for babies and young children.
2. Wear clothes that are closed enough so that your skin is protected from mosquito bites.
3. Put on lotion mosquito repellent.