Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
Wet season brings 15,000 cases of dengue infections
http://www.mb.com.ph/HLTH2006092775581.html
Dengue is a flu-like viral disease spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes. If not addressed instantly, a complication of the disease, known as the dengue hemorrhagic fever, may occur.
The disease occurs in most tropical areas of the world. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue usually breed in places where many people live. Eggs are often laid in stagnant waters found in discarded tires, flower pots, old oil drums, and neglected water storage containers.
Most dengue mosquitoes bite during the day, although new studies show that the insects are also capable of biting at night.
Signs and symptoms
Dengue fever often starts with a high fever, followed by a rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pains. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name "breakbone fever." Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are also common symptoms of the disease. A rash usually appears three to four days after the start of the fever.
Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness, but some can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever. With dengue hemorrhagic fever, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body.
Without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about five percent of cases, mostly among children and young adults.
The time between the bite of a mosquito carrying dengue virus and the start of symptoms averages from four to six days. The disease can be confirmed by conducting a blood test.
Prevention
There is no specific treatment for dengue. Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids, and kept away from mosquitoes for the protection of others.
The best way to prevent dengue is by eliminating mosquito breeding sites in areas where dengue might occur. This can be done by discarding items that can collect rain or run-off water, especially old tires. Regularly change the water in regularly used outdoor containers such as pet water containers.
Because of the severity of dengue cases all over the country (many of the reported cases come from Manila and Baguio), the government has already stepped up on ways to control the outbreak.
Also recognizing that dengue can be effectively prevented with a sustained community effort, Baygon Mosquito Killer and Off! Insect Repellent once more launched an intensified campaign that will promote the active participation of households and communities in efforts to control spread of the viral disease.
The campaign, Team Iwas Dengue, recognizes that the disease is a shared threat and, as such, emphasizes the importance of a team approach to prevent the further spread of the disease. The program will embark on an intensive awareness campaign in known dengue hot spots, particularly in schools and communities that will be identified in consultation with the DoH and city health officers.
It will feature a holistic education program that involves interactive discussions with the communities, distribution of educational materials, spraying of Baygon, and distribution of Off! lotion.
Team Iwas Dengue builds on Baygon Mosquito Killer and Off! Insect Repellent?s Iwas Dengue campaign. Now on its eighth year, the Iwas Dengue campaign has reached over 700,000 families in over 3,000 barangays throughout the country.
http://www.mb.com.ph/HLTH2006092775581.html
About 15,000 cases of dengue infections were recorded from January to the second week of September this year, with 167 resulting in death. This was revealed recently by Department of Health (DoH) National Epidemiology Center, during the launch of the Team Iwas Dengue campaign.
Dengue is a flu-like viral disease spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes. If not addressed instantly, a complication of the disease, known as the dengue hemorrhagic fever, may occur.
The disease occurs in most tropical areas of the world. The mosquitoes that transmit dengue usually breed in places where many people live. Eggs are often laid in stagnant waters found in discarded tires, flower pots, old oil drums, and neglected water storage containers.
Most dengue mosquitoes bite during the day, although new studies show that the insects are also capable of biting at night.
Signs and symptoms
Dengue fever often starts with a high fever, followed by a rash, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pains. The severity of the joint pain has given dengue the name "breakbone fever." Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are also common symptoms of the disease. A rash usually appears three to four days after the start of the fever.
Most dengue infections result in relatively mild illness, but some can progress to dengue hemorrhagic fever. With dengue hemorrhagic fever, the blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth, and gums. Bruising can be a sign of bleeding inside the body.
Without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). Dengue hemorrhagic fever is fatal in about five percent of cases, mostly among children and young adults.
The time between the bite of a mosquito carrying dengue virus and the start of symptoms averages from four to six days. The disease can be confirmed by conducting a blood test.
Prevention
There is no specific treatment for dengue. Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids, and kept away from mosquitoes for the protection of others.
The best way to prevent dengue is by eliminating mosquito breeding sites in areas where dengue might occur. This can be done by discarding items that can collect rain or run-off water, especially old tires. Regularly change the water in regularly used outdoor containers such as pet water containers.
Because of the severity of dengue cases all over the country (many of the reported cases come from Manila and Baguio), the government has already stepped up on ways to control the outbreak.
Also recognizing that dengue can be effectively prevented with a sustained community effort, Baygon Mosquito Killer and Off! Insect Repellent once more launched an intensified campaign that will promote the active participation of households and communities in efforts to control spread of the viral disease.
The campaign, Team Iwas Dengue, recognizes that the disease is a shared threat and, as such, emphasizes the importance of a team approach to prevent the further spread of the disease. The program will embark on an intensive awareness campaign in known dengue hot spots, particularly in schools and communities that will be identified in consultation with the DoH and city health officers.
It will feature a holistic education program that involves interactive discussions with the communities, distribution of educational materials, spraying of Baygon, and distribution of Off! lotion.
Team Iwas Dengue builds on Baygon Mosquito Killer and Off! Insect Repellent?s Iwas Dengue campaign. Now on its eighth year, the Iwas Dengue campaign has reached over 700,000 families in over 3,000 barangays throughout the country.