DENGUE FEVER

It was October 2007, I received a text message saying, “Please pray for the soul of my daughter Samantha.” I was trying to scroll it down when it just struck me that this was not a joke or a quote. Immediately, I replied to my friend asking her what happened. It was very evident that she didn’t want to explicate further and just typed in plain words, “dengue”.

A few days later, I was rushed to the hospital 5 o’clock in the morning. Well, that’s a different story. During my stay in this hospital, one of the nurses talked to me and told me that I am lucky. Of course I asked why. She told me that I was the only one with a different case who was rushed to the hospital. The rest of the patients were diagnosed with dengue fever. Then, I thought, this was really serious!!!

I got anxious as we just moved to a new house and was very troubled about my kids who were left at the house with my in-laws. It’s not that I am not at ease with them taking care of my kids. We just don’t know when they will strike.

So, I tried researching about this disease. Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four related dengue viruses. This disease used to be called "break-bone" fever because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking. Dengue is transmitted to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which feeds during the day.

The Cause

Dengue Fever is caused by 4 types of dengue virus;

1. DEN-1 2. DEN-2 3. DEN-3 4. DEN-4

It is said that you can be infected twice by 2 of the 4 types of dengue virus in your lifetime and once of the same type. A mosquito transmits this virus when they bite an infected person and later transmit it to the next person.

Preventive measures to fight this disease;

Use insect repellent lotion/spray.

Wear protective clothes like long sleeves, jackets, pants, socks, and shoes

Make sure you close your windows and doors. If you don’t have a screen, put some.

Relieve areas of things which mosquitoes will start breeding. Urge people to empty stagnant water from trashcans, containers, flowerpots and used tires.

I am writing this article for one main motive. This is something we all should not take for granted because there is still no vaccine for this disease. The main treatment for this is purely for the symptoms it causes. A lot of fluid intake and rest is also important.

Love yourself and most especially, love your family.

* In behalf of my family, and myself we pray for the soul of Samantha. May you rest in peace and your family be happy that the Lord is with you.