What are the symptoms of Dengue? What one should do for it?

*Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Dengue fever is caused by one of four different but related viruses. It is spread by the bite of mosquitoes, most commonly the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which is found in tropic and subtropic regions. This includes parts of:

Indonesian archipelago into northeastern Australia

South and Central America

Southeast Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

Dengue fever is being seen more in world travelers.

Dengue fever should not be confused with Dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is a separate disease that is caused by the same type of virus but has much more severe symptoms.

*Symptoms

Dengue fever begins with a sudden high fever, often as high as 104 - 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

A flat, red rash may appear over most of the body 2 - 5 days after the fever starts. A second rash, which looks like the measles, appears later in the disease. Infected people may have increased skin sensitivity and are very uncomfortable.

Other symptoms include:

Headache (especially behind the eyes)

Fatigue

Joint aches

Muscle aches

Nausea

Swollen lymph nodes

Vomiting

*Signs and tests

Tests that may be done to diagnose this condition include:

Antibody titer for dengue virus types

Complete blood count (CBC)

Serology studies to look for antibodies to dengue viruses

*Treatment

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. You will need fluids if there are signs of dehydration. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is used to treat a high fever. Avoid taking aspirin.

*Expectations (prognosis)

The condition generally lasts a week or more. Although uncomfortable, dengue fever is not deadly. People with the condition should fully recover.

*Complications

Febrile convulsions

Severe dehydration

*Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have traveled in an area where dengue fever is known to occur and have developed symptoms of the disease.

*Prevention

Clothing, mosquito repellent, and netting can help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Traveling during periods of minimal mosquito activity can also be helpful.

Mosquito abatement programs may reduce the risk of infection.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Early Symptoms :-
Fever, headaches, eye pain, severe dizziness, skin rashes and loss of appetite.
Consult doctor immediately

How to avoid it :-
Use mosquito repellents on skin and clothing.
When outdoors during times that mosquitoes are biting, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks.
Avoid heavily populated residential areas.
When indoors, stay in air-conditioned or screened areas. Use bednets if sleeping areas

Immediate Treatment:-
Getting plenty of bed rest.
Drinking lots of fluids.
Taking medicine to reduce fever. (Aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided as these drugs may worsen the bleeding tendency associated with some of these infections. Patients may receive paracetamol, acetaminophen, preparations to deal with these symptoms if dengue is suspected)

Source :- http://www.contactpakistan.com/Communitylibrary/general/health/general/article38.htm and some other websites

If you get fever + breaking body or headache, vomiting, pain in eyes get your CBC (Blood test) Done even if your Dr. Does not recommend that. Dengue is a killer. If you get fever go to a good hospital asap.Do not use antibiotics as they kill platelets as well, use just panadol. Drink Apple,papaya leaf juices, and lemon juice they develop platelets

Abnormal blood test report... Low Platletts count and fever.