People may also mistakenly think that they can obtain dengue only once.
Considering the fact that there are four dengue serotypes, a person has four chances of getting dengue, Dr Chia mentioned.
The lady explained that 2 of the strains had been the most commonly seen strains in Singapore in previous yrs. However , in the second half of 2021, another strain accounted for over fifty percent of the dengue instances sampled in Singapore. It remains the dominant serotype this year, she added.
“Infection with one serotype will simply result in lifelong safety against that particular serotype, ” she stated.
Among the identified risk aspects for severe dengue is having a second episode of dengue contamination. Others include co-morbidities such as hypertension plus diabetes.
Queen: What symptoms should I look out for?
Symptoms suggestive associated with dengue include the unexpected onset of fever for two to 7 days, severe headache with pain behind the eye, joint and muscle pain, skin itchiness, nausea and vomiting, bleeding from the nasal area or gums and easy bruising of the pores and skin, NEA says on its website.
Those with such symptoms should see a medical practitioner early for analysis and treatment.
Dr Chia said the best-case situation is dengue temperature by itself without warning signals or even asymptomatic dengue.
The worst-case scenario will be severe dengue, that is characterised by severe bleeding and severe damage to organs such as the heart, brain or even liver.
Other warning signs pertaining to dengue include giddiness when standing up or even sitting up, decreased urine output plus heavier menses for girls, she added.
“It is also crucial that you know around the period when fever stops or is ending. That can be the time whenever warning signs occur, and deterioration may happen, ” she said.
Older people may have fewer pains and aches, and may have only tiredness with or without a decrease in appetite. This makes it more challenging to diagnose dengue earlier and to manage it well among this age group, Dr Chia said.
Depending on severity, recovery may range from a few days to a few weeks. However , when there is severe dengue, recovery can take months, the lady said.
Q: How is dengue confirmed and treated?
Dengue can only be confirmed by a blood check. At the clinic, after confirmation of dengue, specific advice will be given on indicators and what to watch out for, Dr Chia said.
If there is a brief history of diabetes or high blood pressure, long-term medications may need to be modified with ongoing dengue fever. Follow-up regarding regular blood exams in the acute sickness phase would also be required.
The treating dengue is currently generally supportive and may contain symptomatic treatment as well as intravenous fluids when necessary, she stated.
Addressing the use of carica papaya leaf extract, a common non-medical remedy utilized here, she mentioned this has been analyzed in the management of low platelet consider dengue.
Whilst these studies show that this extract may speed up the recovery associated with platelets, these research are mostly of “low to moderate quality”.
“Low platelet count can also be just one presentation from the underlying disease process in severe dengue and targeting platelet recovery on its own might not improve the outcomes of severe dengue, ” she said.
Currently, there is no evidence that such papaya leaf extract increases the overall clinical outcomes of severe dengue, she added.
Q: Can dengue be prevented?
A new vaccine towards dengue is coming , but more fundamentally, Dr Chia pointed to great practices recommended by NEA for protection against the disease.
These are:
: Break up hardened soil
– Lift and empty flowerpot plates
— Overturn pails plus wipe their wheels
– Modify water in vases
– Maintain roof gutters crystal clear and place insecticide that kills mosquito larvae
NEA recommended members of the public to use mosquito repellent regularly to shield themselves from getting mosquito bites, particularly if they are living in dengue cluster areas.
Repellents that contains DEET, picaridin or even IR3535 as the active ingredient are the most effective in repelling mosquitoes.
NEA also urged residents, specifically those living in dengue cluster areas, to take precautions such as putting on long sleeves and pants.