Dengue fever is a disease caused by dengue virus is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito that has been infected with the virus. This type of febrile illness is actually divided into two, namely: Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). DHF is a more severe form of the disease, in which bleeding and sometimes shock can occur that lead to death.
This disease has the symptoms of sudden onset of high fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, severe headache, and pain in the back of the eyeball, muscles & joints. High fever (a temperature of 39-40 ° C) can take up to 2-7 days. Heat will usually fall on the day of the 3rd or the 4th and sometimes rise again. For DHF in addition to the above symptoms are usually accompanied by other symptoms such as pain / pain in the gut is continuously; bleeding at the nose, mouth, gums or skin bruising; continuous vomiting is sometimes accompanied by blood; dirt / black stools ; excessive thirst, pale skin, and cold.
The pattern of fever in DF or DHF disease commonly called the saddle pattern. That is where the initial high fever suddenly appeared and then will fall on the day of the 3rd or 4th would then fever again. When the fever down is actually a moment to look out primarily on DHF can occur because of bleeding and shock are life threatening. If at the fever down, but the condition of the patient is weak, then chills accompanied with cold hands & feet, then the patient is experiencing shock & should get immediate help. We recommend that if one or more symptoms of dengue appear, immediately take the patient to the hospital and especially after the first or second day of fever occurred, because this period is a critical period of dengue disease and proper treatment can save his life.
For DF or DHF disease, there is no specific treatment that can be overcome. But exactly which treatments done early can relieve symptoms and prevent complications and death. Blood and platelet transfusions can be done in case of massive bleeding, while to overcome the fever and muscle aches and headaches, the drug recommended by WHO is paracetamol. Also try to keep giving the patient fluids (water, ORS, fruit juices, vegetable juices, etc.) to prevent dehydration.
The most important thing to cope with DD and DHF is prevention so as not affected by the disease. The trick is to limit the breeding of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, by maintaining the homes, bodies and environment clean. In addition it should also be noted places that could become mosquito breeding such as coat hangers, desk drawer or under the bed. This of course requires the participation of the whole community to neighborhoods offices or schools can be free from the mosquito Aedes aegypti.