Published On : Thu, Nov 1st, 2012

Nagpur NGOs and volunteers comes together to check dengue

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Nagpur: In Nagpur Dengue has emerged as a big epidemic in the last couple of months. Health experts believe better sensitization of the people can result in better prevention. With this end in mind, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to engage services of local volunteers and NGO working in the health sector.

The civic body has also increased its efforts to check breeding of mosquitoes in areas from where most suspected dengue have been reported. In October month alone, 87 suspected dengue samples have been sent to Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV). 13 people tested positive out of the 34 samples sent. Through the year, a total of 135 samples have been sent, 121 of which have been sent in September and October alone.

Collector Saurabh Rao and wife Priyanaka had also fallen prey to the disease in the beginning of the month.

Dengue Fever Symptoms & Signs

Classic dengue fever is characterized by

Fever:

Sudden and abrupt onset

May go up to 39.5-41.4°C

Lasts for about 1-7 days, then fades away for 1-2 days

It soon recurs with secondary rashes which is usually not as severe as before

 

Headaches:

Fever is usually accompanied by headache in front portion of head or behind the eyes

 

Muscular (Myalgia) or bone pain:

Occurs after onset of fever

Affects legs, joints, and lumbar spine

Usually the pain gets severe after its onset

The pain may last for several weeks even after the fever has subsided

Pain is usually absent in DHF/DSS

 

Other symptoms:

Nausea and vomiting

Loss of appetite

Increased sensation to touch

Change in taste sensation

Symptoms maybe milder in children than in adults

The acute phase of illness can last for 1 week followed by a 1 to 2 week period of recovery period that is characterized by weakness, malaise and loss of appetite.

Rash – red and white patchy rashes:

The illness is clinically indistinguishable from Influenza, Measles or Rubella.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever / Dengue Shock Syndrome

Initial stages of the disease resembles symptoms of dengue fever. However fever subsidies after 2 to 7 days followed by signs and symptoms of

Restlessness

Signs of circulatory failure

Bleeding or hemorrhagic manifestations including:

Skin bleeds that appear as blotchy red patches called – Petechiae

Bleeding from Nose or Epistaxis

Bleeding from gums

Bleeding from Stomach – appearing as blood in the vomit

Decrease in the blood platelet count (Thrombocytopenia)

Leakage of plasma from vascular compartment leading to increased blood concentration and manifestations of shock.

These symptoms when not treated may lead to Dengue Shock Syndrome, which when not treated immediately may lead to profound shock and eventually death.

 

Warning signs of Dengue Shock Syndrome are

Severe abdominal pain,

Vomiting,

Change in temperature,

Mental irritability.