Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
Eradication of mosquitoes can help prevent Dengue fever
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=28980
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=28980
KARACHI: ?Dengue infection does not spread from person to person. However, health workers should take precautions, while taking care of such patients and must use gloves to avoid concomitant infection such as Hepatitis B and C,? stated Dr Afia Zafar, Associate Professor and Head Section of Microbiology at the Aga Khan University (AKU).
She was addressing a seminar on ?Dengue Fever: What Every Family Physician Must Know? organised by AKU Department of Pathology and Microbiology, in collaboration with the Department of Medicine, as part of the continuing medical education for general practitioners, on Thursday.
Dr Afia said that the disease is transmitted only due to the mosquito bite and added that clinically suspected cases or even laboratory proven patients do not require isolation room or ward, whereas masks and aprons are also not required during nursing or examination of the infected patients.
Speaking on ?Dengue Infection in Children,? Dr Anita Zaidi, Associate Professor and Specialist, Paediatric Infectious Diseases, AKU, said that Dengue fever is usually a mild disease, but if appropriate care is not taken, serious complications can develop in some children.
She pointed out that a child suffering from fever for more than two days, without a running nose, and rashes on face and body might be suffering from Dengue fever.
Dr Anita informed the health care practitioners that as a first step, a complete blood count should be done on the third day of illness.
She was of the view that swelling of face, hands and feet, or bleeding from anywhere are signs that the infection is becoming serious and the child needs urgent attention and hospitalisation.
She stated that as Dengue fever is confused with malaria and typhoid, malarial smear and blood culture are also needed.
Dr Anita informed the participants that antibiotics do not play any role in curing Dengue fever patients and a person can make full recovery if he/she is kept hydrated. ?Prevention is only possible by controlling the mosquitooes,? She stated.
Dr M Aslam Khan, Assistant Professor and Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, said that Dengue infection manifests as fever with associated headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea/vomiting and rash. Fever lasts 5-6 days and terminates abruptly, while fatigue lasts for several days after the infection, he added.
Dr Erum Khan, Assistant Professor, Pathology and Microbiology, informed the audience that the first Dengue virus infection in Pakistan was reported in 1994. Selected samples of Dengue virus out break in 2005 were sent from AKU for stereotyping and sequence analysis to Virology Lab of Health Protection Agency at UK. Results have revealed that the current outbreak is due to a different serotype which suggests that there is an increased risk of second, more severe form of infection.
Dr Omrana Pasha, Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences and Family Medicine, discussed the prevention and control of Dengue Fever.
She pointed out that places which are crowded during the day, such as schools and hospitals, provide a venue where an Aedes aegypti mosquito can bite an infected person and subsequently, bite many other gathered there, causing the infection to spread.
She was addressing a seminar on ?Dengue Fever: What Every Family Physician Must Know? organised by AKU Department of Pathology and Microbiology, in collaboration with the Department of Medicine, as part of the continuing medical education for general practitioners, on Thursday.
Dr Afia said that the disease is transmitted only due to the mosquito bite and added that clinically suspected cases or even laboratory proven patients do not require isolation room or ward, whereas masks and aprons are also not required during nursing or examination of the infected patients.
Speaking on ?Dengue Infection in Children,? Dr Anita Zaidi, Associate Professor and Specialist, Paediatric Infectious Diseases, AKU, said that Dengue fever is usually a mild disease, but if appropriate care is not taken, serious complications can develop in some children.
She pointed out that a child suffering from fever for more than two days, without a running nose, and rashes on face and body might be suffering from Dengue fever.
Dr Anita informed the health care practitioners that as a first step, a complete blood count should be done on the third day of illness.
She was of the view that swelling of face, hands and feet, or bleeding from anywhere are signs that the infection is becoming serious and the child needs urgent attention and hospitalisation.
She stated that as Dengue fever is confused with malaria and typhoid, malarial smear and blood culture are also needed.
Dr Anita informed the participants that antibiotics do not play any role in curing Dengue fever patients and a person can make full recovery if he/she is kept hydrated. ?Prevention is only possible by controlling the mosquitooes,? She stated.
Dr M Aslam Khan, Assistant Professor and Consultant, Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, said that Dengue infection manifests as fever with associated headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea/vomiting and rash. Fever lasts 5-6 days and terminates abruptly, while fatigue lasts for several days after the infection, he added.
Dr Erum Khan, Assistant Professor, Pathology and Microbiology, informed the audience that the first Dengue virus infection in Pakistan was reported in 1994. Selected samples of Dengue virus out break in 2005 were sent from AKU for stereotyping and sequence analysis to Virology Lab of Health Protection Agency at UK. Results have revealed that the current outbreak is due to a different serotype which suggests that there is an increased risk of second, more severe form of infection.
Dr Omrana Pasha, Assistant Professor, Community Health Sciences and Family Medicine, discussed the prevention and control of Dengue Fever.
She pointed out that places which are crowded during the day, such as schools and hospitals, provide a venue where an Aedes aegypti mosquito can bite an infected person and subsequently, bite many other gathered there, causing the infection to spread.