Dengue is a viral disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality throughout the developing world. It is caused by microorganisms that can be spread to humans by mosquitos that thrive in tropical zones and breed in stagnant water sources. With more than one-third of the world’s population living in areas at risk for transmission, dengue infection is a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics, affecting 100m people annually.
There are four dengue viruses that result in different levels of severity of the disease, the mildest of which is known as dengue fever. Dengue fever is sometimes mistaken for the flu or measles, as it causes high fever, migraine-like headaches, rashes, achiness, queasiness and tiredness. It can also affect the blood, causing mild bleeding of the gums and easy bruising. The severe form of the disease, known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, is more common in babies and young children who are relatively well nourished, as well as females and people with a high body mass index.
Dengue cannot be spread through human contact, but can be transmitted via infected blood products, such as during blood transfusions. There is no way to test donated blood for dengue fever, and no vaccinations are available for the disease. Transmission from mother to child during pregnancy or at birth is also a possibility.
To protect against infection, the CDC recommends applying an insect repellant containing DEET(N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide,) a yellow oil whose smell repels mosquitos. Of course, as this chemical is a toxin and can affect your health, it is important not to overuse it. Instead of spraying it on your skin, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors, and spray the repellant on your clothing, as mosquitos can bite through cloth. Picardin is another repellent recommended by the CDC and WHO, and this chemical is odourless and more pleasant to use, but presents the same toxicity risks as DEET. As for indoors,, place mosquito netting over your and your children’s beds, and make sure your window screens are intact.