Dengue

• Samples found positive for dengue in Delhi has confirmed the presence of Type-2 strain in a majority of them.
• Dengue Virus Type-2 is supposed to be the most severe and has a tendency to cause haemorrhagic fever and mortality.
• DENV 2 can cause dengue shock syndrome and also lead to multi-organ failure.

ABOUT DENGUE

• It is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus i.e Genus Flavivirus, transmitted by several species of female mosquito within the genus Aedes, principally Aedes aegypti.
  • The mosquito also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika infection.
• There are 4 distinct serotypes of the virus that cause dengue (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4).
  • Serotypes are separate groups within a species of microorganisms that all share a similar characteristic.
• Symptoms – fever, headache, muscle, and joint pain, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. There is also a drop in platelets.
  • It is also called Break bone fever.
• There is no specific medicine to treat dengue infection.
• Vaccine– Dengvaxia or CYD-TDV approved by US FDA,
  • It is a live, attenuated dengue virus which is administered to people who have been infected by dengue once.
• Biological control– breeding a species of mosquito which carries a type of bacteria, called Wolbachia that prevents viruses like dengue from growing inside them.
• Precautions
  • Wear body covering clothes, and apply mosquito repellent creams to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
  • Adequate water intake is also very important if one is down with dengue.