Dengue Fever: A Global Health Challenge

Dengue can present itself in mild, moderate or extreme degree. In mild cases, some include sudden high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, rash, nausea and vomiting as common syndromes. This phase is often referred to as “breakbone fever” as a result of the amount of pain suffered in this phase. Extreme cases can however lead to major complications such as plasma leakage, shock, and even multiple organ failure. Sometime there may also be warning features such as recurrent vomiting, abdominal pain, dyspnea and altered hydration level. If these warning signs are not treated in time, it can lead to death.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 390 million dengue infections globally in a year, with more than 100 million cases having clear clinical symptoms of the disease. The disease is particularly high in countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, India, and Brazil. Many countries have witnessed the expansion of vector mosquitoes owing to various factors including urbanization, population increase and climate change. It is also associated with a heavy economic cost due to health care expenditure, control of vectors and loss of productivity which impacts the economies of target countries especially low and middle-income country.

The other factor that contributes to the greater risk of dengue spreading is the lack of any specific antiviral agents that could manage and control the spread and impact of the infection. The line of current medical care and treatment procedures is therefore mainly based on palliation and passive measures. The patients are also recommended to rest, drink plenty of fluids and take acetaminophen to lessen the pain and inflammation. Such medications as aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents are avoided to prevent bleeding risks. Severe cases may be admitted for intravenous fluids, blood transfusions and constant observation. Mortality rates however can be significantly lowered, owing to prompt recognition and response to the illness.

Dengue can also be minimized via prevention. Central to this effort is vector control through the elimination of mosquito breeding sites; covering water storage containers; and the insecticidal spraying of areas that are prone to mosquito infestation. There are also personal protective measures that include the wearing of long-sleeved clothes, application of mosquito repellent creams and installation of window screens to prevent the entry of mosquitos. Such campaigns also strive to enlighten the public on the mosquito-borne disease to help raise awareness that solicits preventive action against dengue.

Another possibility to effectively interfere with the spread of dengue is by vaccination. Dengvaxia is the first dengue vaccine which is effective in the prevention of severe dengue, but its use is limited only to people aged 9 to 45 who have previously been infected with dengue.

For all the progress, dengue control still has considerable gaps. Strengthened surveillance systems, antigen and LCD development due to a concerted with vaccine characterisation should help for the disease burden reduction. The collaboration of governments, health organizations, and communities is important in solving structural factors inclusive of poverty and unsanitary conditions that sustain the existence of the disease. The implementation of public control over the medical and scientific projects will be crucial for the victory over dengue.

Dengue is a preventable yet stubborn disease. It affects millions of people across the globe and through unity in prevention, treatment, and innovation, the impact of this disease can be lessened. As communities become more educated and proactive, the goal of making the world dengue free will not be all that difficult to achieve.

GENERATED BY AI {CHAT GPT}