What is dengue?
Dengue is caused by a pandemic that's mostly transmitted by the bite of female mosquitoes of the species yellow-fever mosquito. Dengue symptoms range from none to serious flu-like symptoms. A tiny, low proportion of individuals develop severe dengue, which may be fatal.
There are four closely related dengue viruses, which are called dengue genotypes. Although recovery from infection gives immunity from the identical dengue genotype, it also increases the danger of severe dengue if people are later infected by a distinct genotype.
Dengue is, that, the most generally distributed mosquito-borne viral disease within the world. It continues to spread rapidly thanks to global climate change, rapid urbanization, and increment. Outbreaks are usually seasonal, peaking during and after rainy seasons. The globe Health Organization classifies dengue jointly of the highest ten threats to public health.
What is the impact of dengue?
3.9 billion people in danger of dengue infection
Endemic in 129 countries, with 70% of cases in Asia
About 390 million infections per annum, 96 million with symptoms
85% increase in number of cases from 1990 to 2019
60% of the world’s population predicted to be in danger by 2080
Puts immense pressure on health systems: it costs 3 times more to manage dengue than cholera
Most dengue cases are underreported with many cases asymptomatic, mild and self-managed, or misdiagnosed
Geographical distribution of dengue cases reported worldwide, 2021
Source: European Center for Disease Prevention and Control
What are current treatments for dengue?
There are not any specific antiviral drugs to treat dengue infection.
Acetaminophen or paracetamol will be taken to regulate muscle aches, pains, and fever. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin should be avoided.
Hospitalized dengue patients must be closely observed and their fluid intake carefully managed, in line with strict guidelines. In countries where early detection and such treatment is obtainable, the death rate from dengue has dropped to below 1%.
The currently available vaccine is restricted to people aged 9-45 years old who have had a minimum of one previous episode of dengue viral infection. Several additional dengue vaccine candidates are under evaluation.
The lack of treatment options increases the chance of individuals developing severe dengue, which is potentially fatal.
What new treatments for dengue are needed?
Dengue-specific treatments are needed to treat the disease at different stages and to cut back the danger of an infection attending to severe disease.
What dengue treatments are we working on?
We are establishing a world partnership with dengue-endemic countries to hold out pre-clinical studies and clinical trials to search out a secure, affordable, and effective treatment for dengue. We are watching repurposed drugs or drug combinations further as pursuing a portfolio of dengue treatment options already in clinical development.
Find out about our work developing treatments for dengue.
How does one get dengue?
Insect bites: the virus that causes dengue is often transmitted by the bite of infected female mosquitoes of the species Andes Egypt and, to a lesser extent, the species mosquito
Mother-to-child: possible transmission from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth
Rare cases of transmission via blood products, organ donation, and transfusions
What are the symptoms of dengue?
Dengue
Dengue can don't have any symptoms or cause only mild illness, but it may cause flu-like symptoms such as:
high fever 104 °F
severe headache
pain behind the eyes
nausea
vomiting
swollen glands
rash
muscle, joint, or bone pains so severe that dengue is usually named as ‘break bone fever’
Severe dengue
Severe dengue happens when blood vessels become damaged and leaky, and therefore the number of platelets (cells which form clots) drops. As a result, severe dengue can cause shock, internal bleeding, bleeding gums or nose, organ failure, and death. The symptoms of severe dengue include:
severe abdominal pain
persistent vomiting
rapid breathing
bleeding gums or nose
fatigue
restlessness
liver enlargement
blood in vomit or stool
potentially fatal
How is dengue diagnosed?
Dengue infection is often diagnosed in several ways, all of which require a blood sample. Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) detects the virus directly and is that the gold standard; it is often utilized in the primary days after infection. Rapid diagnostic tests are available, which test for a protein produced by the virus called NS1. Serological methods may be wont to confirm recent (within the previous 3 months) or past infection.
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