Dengue: warning signs and prevention

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Extract from the article: Cases of dengue fever have been reported in hospitals in recent weeks. In February 2024, when cases of dengue fever were detected in Togo, health authorities issued a call for vigilance and prevention. Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by mos

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Cases of dengue fever have been reported in hospitals in recent weeks. In February 2024, when cases of dengue fever were detected in Togo, health authorities issued a call for vigilance and prevention. Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, represents a serious threat to public health. Recognizing the signs of the disease and adopting measures to boost the immune system are essential to cope with this epidemic.

Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes of the « Aedes » genus, notably « Aedes aegypti » and « Aedes albopictus ». These mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water and multiply. 

It often manifests itself as high fever, muscle and joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting and skin rashes. In the most severe cases, dengue fever can evolve into severe dengue fever, leading to potentially fatal complications such as haemorrhage and organ failure.

Signs

Symptoms are similar to those of malaria.  Symptoms generally appear 4 to 10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito, and include high fever, headache, joint and muscle pain or rash.

The severe form of dengue, known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause severe bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure and death.

Prevention and control measures

In the face of this threat, we strongly recommend taking preventive measures to reduce mosquito proliferation and minimize the risk of dengue transmission.

Eliminate stagnant water, and regularly empty containers of stagnant water such as buckets, flower pots and used tires. Sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets and using mosquito repellents can reduce the risk of bites.Wearing long, light-colored clothing can help avoid mosquito bites. Anyone with similar symptoms should consult a healthcare professional immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment

At present, there is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue fever. Treatment is mainly symptomatic and supportive, including management of fever and pain, and prevention of severe complications through appropriate medical supervision.

Recipe for prevention and symptomatic relief: Take 1 papaya leaf, 4 "Aloma" leaves, 4 kinkeliba leaves, half of 1 lemon. Triturate all the leaves with 0.5 liters of water. You can also use a blender if you have one. Add the lemon to the recovered liquid.Drink half the liquid in the morning and the other half in the evening.Repeat for 3 days. 

Raymond DZAKPATA