7 Lesser known facts about dengue fever

Every year the outbreak of Dengue causes illness and mortality across the world. It is thus necessary that people be made aware of this disease. Dengue fever spreads through the bite of  Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These mosquitoes grow in stagnant water and waterlogging places.

In dengue,  the person first affected by a high fever. Later on symptoms like – a headache, body pain, joints, and muscle pain, loss of appetite, and vomiting appear in the body. But, These are broad symptoms and a dengue can only be confirmed after a proper blood test.

Check out these 5  facts about Dengue fever.

#1 Dengue attacks white blood cells

A dengue mosquito can be lethal for you because it attacks your white blood cells. The attack makes our body weak because white blood cells are the primary line of body defense. A dengue mosquito lays about 100 eggs in one go and remains alive for almost two weeks.

#2 Dengue Mosquito does bite in the night

It is true that normally dengue mosquitos bite during the daytime. Most bites occur during the morning time and early sunset hours. But that does not mean they do not bite in the night. Experts do not brush aside their possibilities for biting in the night.  These mosquitoes cannot survive in temperature below 15-16 degrees. When we talk about the vulnerable seasons, most cases of dengue are recorded between July to October in India.

#3 Dengue mosquitoes are born in the water tank in homes

According to a report by Delhi Health Ministry  41% of dengue mosquitoes are born in plastic drums and tanks in Delhi. Likewise, 12% in cooler and 17% of dengue mosquitoes are born in iron containers which used at construction sites.

#4 Lack of platelets is not a reason for fatality

Most of the people believe that patients of dengue die due to lack of platelets in the body.

But the real reason of death in dengue is the leakage of the capillary. This is a situation when the protein-rich, fluid component of the blood leaks from blood vessels into the surrounding tissue. If a patient has a capillary leakage, then in such a scenario, he should be given a liquid food. This should be continued until the gap between high and low blood pressure exceeds 40.

#5 Dengue is not an infectious disease

Dengue is falsely perceived to be an infectious disease, however, this disease does not spread from one person to another. There are four types of dengue disease and infection with one type gives little immune protection against the other types.

#6 Only Platelets count below 10,000 is fatal

People believe that during in dengue fever only the number of platelets count is important. The common belief, thus,  emphasizes only on increasing the number of platelets.

However, In reality, the dengue becomes fatal for only those patients whose platelets count fall below 10,000. An adequate rest and plenty of fluid intake for hydration are crucial in dengue treatment.

#7 Dengue treatment is symptomatic

The dengue is caused by a virus and there is no specific medicine treat it specifically. The only treatment is to treat the symptoms and not the cause. In fact, the medication is focussed to providing a relief of symptoms as early as possible & as a priority.