Baja&Back
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Registered: 9-10-2004
Location: Vancouver, Canada / todo de Baja
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Mood: Rarin' to go South!
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Dengue Fever?
My poor unlucky daughter confirms she's contracted Dengue in Isla Mujeres. She's under doctor's care.
Anyone know enough about the disease to tell me what advice I can send her long-distance to help her get better???
(aside from drink more tequila)
Thanks
Barry
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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From the Mayo Clinic:
Dengue fever
Definition
Dengue fever is a disease ranging from a mild to severe caused by four related viruses spread by a particular species of mosquito. Mild dengue
fever causes high fever, rash, and muscle and joint pain. More severe forms of the disease dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome can
additionally cause severe bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.
No specific treatment for dengue fever exists, and most people recover. But if you have a severe form of the disease, you need hospital care.
Fifty million to 100 million cases of dengue infection occur worldwide each year. Most cases of dengue fever occur in urban areas of tropical and
subtropical regions. A few cases have been reported in the United States particularly in Texas, along the border with Mexico, and in Hawaii.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of dengue fever usually begin four to seven days after you've been bitten by a mosquito carrying a dengue virus. These signs and
symptoms can vary, depending on the form of the disease. More severe forms of the disease usually begin the same way as the mild form (dengue fever),
then become worse after several days.
Dengue fever signs and symptoms typically include:
High fever, up to 105 F
A rash over most of your body, which may subside after a couple of days and then reappear
Severe headache, backache or both
Pain behind your eyes
Severe joint and muscle pain
Nausea and vomiting
Dengue fever rarely causes death, and symptoms usually get better after five to seven days.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever a more severe form of the disease can also cause:
Significant damage to your blood and lymph vessels
A decrease in the number blood cells that help your blood clot (platelets)
Bleeding from the nose, mouth and under the skin, creating the appearance of bruising
Death
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for classic dengue fever, and most people recover within 2 weeks. To help with recovery, health care experts recommend
Getting plenty of bed rest
Drinking lots of fluids to include Gatorade (electrolite replacement fluid)
Taking medicine to reduce fever
CDC advises people with dengue fever not to take aspirin. Acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain-reducing medicines are safe for most people.
For severe dengue symptoms, including shock and coma, early and aggressive emergency treatment with fluid and electrolyte replacement can be
lifesaving.
[Edited on 11-27-2008 by bajaguy]
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DianaT
Select Nomad
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Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Baja&Back
My poor unlucky daughter confirms she's contracted Dengue in Isla Mujeres. She's under doctor's care.
Anyone know enough about the disease to tell me what advice I can send her long-distance to help her get better???
(aside from drink more tequila)
Thanks
Barry
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The Director of the school where we worked in Honduras came down with Dengue and was in a clinic---a very painful thing. The called it bone break
fever down there because of the pain.
But it did pass. From what we learned, it is more serious when contracted more than one time.
Sorry to hear about this----from what we learned then, it is one of those things that just has to run it course like influenza. And from our friend
told us, it is like a really awful case of the flu.
It is good that she is under a doctor's care.
Hope she gets better soon
Diane
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BornFisher
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Posts: 2122
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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Well banning DDT was certainly good for some insects and birds. But it sure put some hurt on millions of people.
Wishing the best for her and your family and a routine recovery.
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Osprey
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Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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There are 4 viral vectors and once you have survived one vector you are immune to that one. There are very good reasons the disease is so wide spread
and robust: the mosquito passes the virus to her offspring when they are hatched. Mosquitos also pass the virus from one human victim to the next.
Most Equatorial countries don't have the facilities to quarantine those victims who carry the virus so everybody with breakbone fever becomes a
distributor/contributor as they walk about the area where they live and work. I've gone 15 seasons without getting it while scores of people in my
village have suffered through. Two have died.
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lingililingili
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Baja&Back
I hope your daughter is doing well, I wish her a speedy recovery.
Last night we were sitting outside enjoying a game of cards with some friends and before we knew it we were sitting in a cloud of chemicals. They
came up and down each street in our neighborhood spraying some very foul stuff. I must say whatever they sprayed works, when we came in there were
different varieties of dead flying sorts on our floors.
Wonder if it is a campaign throughout Mexico?
Life is just one damned thing after another
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rhintransit
Super Nomad
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Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: Loreto
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spraying in Loreto, too, plus anti-mosquito packets for standing water available through the local hospital. one confirmed case locally. I'll take
chemicals and DEET anyday. wear your mosquito repellant, etc.
reality\'s never been of much use out here...
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Timo1
Senior Nomad
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Location: Homeless
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Mood: Lovin every minute of it
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I don't know if you've ever heard of the propane skeeter zappers.....but they work
awesome...my friends is good for 1/2 acre....lives near a swamp....and has no
skeeters outside his house when he sits out in the evening
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bacquito
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DDT
| Quote: | Originally posted by BornFisher
Well banning DDT was certainly good for some insects and birds. But it sure put some hurt on millions of people.
Wishing the best for her and your family and a routine recovery. |
To this day DDT is the still one of the best methods for controlling mosquitos and is still used in some areas.
Mosquitos are one species that could go extinct and I think the world would be better off.
bacquito
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Mango
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Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
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| Quote: |
Mosquitos are one species that could go extinct and I think the world would be better off. |
Except for the fish and birds that eat those mosquitoes.
We could just "nuke" 'em skeeters.. a little radiation never hurt anyone until a few generations down the line... right?
Do us a favor and eat a tablespoon of DDT and "save the world".
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vandenberg
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| Quote: |
Mosquitos are one species that could go extinct and I think the world would be better off. |
My vote would have to go to humans.
[Edited on 11-28-2008 by vandenberg]
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Mango
Senior Nomad
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Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
| Quote: |
Mosquitos are one species that could go extinct and I think the world would be better off. |
My vote would have to go to humans.
[Edited on 11-28-2008 by vandenberg] |
Too bad us humans have to eat fish tacos!
Remember.. we revolve around the sun.. not the other way around.
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Sallysouth
Super Nomad
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So if mosquitos were to be wiped off the face of the planet, what species would suffer more? I know that bats are our friends when it comes to
eliminating the nasty mosquitos, but would they not survive without them?They serve no use to the planet that I have found.
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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gnukid
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Dengue comes in 4 types commonly known as a,b,c,d. Each may affect certain ages more or less so. Generally its like a bad flu with overall soreness.
The great danger is in dehydration. Generally it will pass in about a week or so.
Cases of Hemorragic dengue cause bruising to occur easily. You will see those suffering looking really bad, like walking dead but they recover.
I have had it as have others, a girlfriend had it twice one year.
As long as the patient has care, a place to rest and hydrate they will be okay. The numbers reported are in the 10000's each year in places like bcs
and much lower to non-existent where climates are cooler.
On the upside a case of dengue will leave looking thinner.
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jorgie
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Secondary dengue is deadly......
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Baja&Back
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 9-10-2004
Location: Vancouver, Canada / todo de Baja
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Mood: Rarin' to go South!
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Thanks for the replies and encouraging comments.
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