Dengue fever turns into epidemic in Punjab

FAISALABAD: The dengue fever has turned into epidemic as the number of patients suffering from dengue fever is increasing constantly in Punjab, said medical experts.

Dr. Ejaz, a leading physician said that dengue was a mosquito-borne infection which leads to a flu-like illness. It is characterized as a sudden illness which was acquired by an individual that usually follows a benign course with fever, headache, exhaustion, rashes and severe muscle pain, frequently accompanied by sore throat, dizziness, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea.

He said that dengue symptoms appear within 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected Aedes mosquito.

"Anyone can be affected by dengue - infants, children and adults while people with weak immune systems are more susceptible to the virus," Dr Ejaz added. Another expert Dr. Muhammad Aslam said that dengue causes a potentially lethal complication known as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). He said that symptoms of dengue hemorrhagic fever include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and bleeding.

Vital signs of bleeding to look out for are blood spots in the skin, spitting of blood, blood in the stool, gum bleeding, and nose bleeding while complications of DHF are pneumonia and inflammation of the heart, he added.

He said that there was no cure or vaccine for dengue fever, however taking rest, drinking plenty of water, taking pain relievers with acetaminophen could help recovery from this fever.

According to Dr. Khurram Zia of the Entomology Department, the mosquito flourishes during rainy seasons but can breed in water-filled flower pots, plastic bags, old tyers and cans round the year. One mosquito bite can inflict the disease and the prevention of dengue fever requires control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue, he said.

"People should not leave flower pots, disposable plastic bottles and old tyers unattended and accumulated water in the objects must be drained out," he advised.

Dr. Waseem Akram, an Entomologist from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) said that adequate application methods were not used and under dose and use of same insecticides create resistance.

Commenting about the ongoing emphasis of the provincial health department and district administration on fogging campaign, he said that it was being done in high temperature and high wind velocity, and confine on roads and streets while the vectors misquotes take shelter in water, garbage heaps, filth depots, old tyres, public places such as airports, railway stations, bus terminals and public toilets. Hence, present fogging campaign is not a solution to eliminate dengue virus menace, he said.

Elaborating, he said that larvicide's can be used to kill immature aquatic stages. Ultra-low volume fumigation is ineffective against adult mosquitoes because it may have resistance to commercial aerosol sprays. He further pointed out that the insecticide usually reduces mosquito population temporarily and is suitable for preparing an area before an outdoor event. However, it often also kills beneficial insects and non target organisms, he added.

"We don't understand why the Punjab Health Department and local administrations are not involving entomologists in this campaign, who are in fact professionally, technically not only capable but full-trained and rights persons for this right job," he asserted. Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq, a leading entomologist and Dean of the UAF faculty of Agriculture was of the view that it is the right time that the government should establish an institute for vector control, extensive survey for ascertaining the population and extentof damage of this insect vector.

Dr. Ashfaq who has been declared the best scientist by the OIC suggested long term planning and stressed the need for initiating programmes for minimizing epidemic impact of dengue virus through reduction of female vector density to a level below which epidemic vector transmission will not occur. He told that based on the assumption that eliminating or reducing the number of larval habitats in the domestic environment will control the vector.

He, however, pointed out that the minimum vector density to prevent epidemic transmission is unknown and there is a dire need to educate the medical community and implement emergency contingency plan besides educating the general public.

He also emphasized on biological and environmental control of vector which according to him is most suitable method to eliminate dengue virus effectively in the long term planning.

Adequate local and external funding for personnel, equipment and insecticides are imperative and there is also a comprehensive planning for the elimination of this deadly disease, he asserted.