Dr. Srikant Sharma,
Senior Consultant Medicine, Moolchand Medcity, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi.
Q1:What is Dengue fever? A: It’s a viral fever symptoms like disease, especially with severe joints and muscle pain, hence also previously known as break bone fever. This Dengue fever is primarily known for > 200 years, to health experts. Dengue is fast emerging pandemic prone viral disease affecting primarily Asian and Latin American countries. Q2: Which geographical areas are at high risk? A: Dengue is found where Aedes mosquitoes are present. Aedes mosquitoes are found in tropical and subtropical regions. These mosquitoes cannot fly more than 200 meters horizontally and 1000 meters vertically. But now Dengue has become a global problem and is common in > 110 countries. Each year 10,000 to 25,000 die and between 50 and 528 million people get infected and 2.5 Billion people (2/5th world population) at risk of infection. Delhi, where 10,000 cases and 400 deaths were reported in 1996, which was the first major outbreak in Delhi. Q3: Should School Syllabus need to know Dengue? A: Over the past 20-25 years, next to disease related to diarrhea and respiratory infection, dengue has become one of the leading causes for hospitalization and deaths among children. Today dengue is one of the most important arthropod borne viral disease in humans, as far as mortality and morbidity is concerned. It is also the number one killer worldwide amongst viral infection. Among travelers dengue is the second most diagnosed caused of fever after malaria. In 2015, Delhi, India, recorded its worst outbreak since 2006 with over 15,000 cases. Hence knowledge of prevention is needed for children. Q4: What are dengue mosquitoes? A: Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus, mosquitoes are responsible for dengue transmission. In India A. Aegypti is the most common mosquito. A. Albopictus is a secondary dengue vector in Asia, has spread to North America and more than 25 countries in the European region, largely due to international trade in used Tyres (breeding habitat) and other goods (eg- lucky bamboo). A. Albopictus is highly adaptive and therefore can: survive in cooler temperature. It can tolerate low temperature hibernate and can shelter in micro habitat. Q5: When does Dengue Mosquito bite? A: Dengue is transmitted by the bite of Aedes mosquito that attacks especially at dawn and dusk. Only female mosquitoes transmit the virus, and are active in day time. They prefer to stay in dark places like under the table or behind screen etc. Most bites are below the knee/ below elbow. Q6: What is Anti Dengue Day? A: June 15 is observed internationally as anti-dengue day. Idea was to increase awareness about dengue, mobilize resources for its prevention and control, and to demonstrate the