Dengue fever: Can it happen again?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Tran Thi Phuong Thuy - Hepatobiliary specialist, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.
Many people wonder if they have dengue fever and then get it again? The answer is yes. Each person is at risk of dengue fever 4 times in their lifetime. Each time the condition can be more severe and complicated.

1. Manifestations of dengue fever

People with dengue fever often have the following symptoms
High fever over 39 degrees, fever continuously does not go down Person fatigue, lethargy, aching limbs Tired, hot and sore eyes Red rash under the skin . Red spots all over the body (usually appearing on the 3rd day after the onset of fever)
Many people think that dengue is most dangerous in the first 3 days of high fever, when the rash starts, the red spots mean that the disease has passed. remission. This is incorrect. In fact, from the 4th day since the onset of fever is the time when complications are most likely to occur. We cannot see complications with the naked eye, but must rely on laboratory indicators.
Therefore, do not treat dengue at home, but need to go to the hospital to be examined and monitored by doctors.

2. If you have dengue fever, will you get it again?

Dengue fever is caused by the Dengue virus. There are four types of dengue virus: D1, D2, D3, D4. Each disease is caused by a type of Dengue entering the body. Therefore, even if you have dengue fever, you can still get it again. Each person can get dengue 4 times in their life, corresponding to 4 types of Dengue. However, in fact, very few people get dengue fever up to the 4th time, usually only 2 or 3 times.
Unlike other diseases, once infected, the body will produce antibodies against the virus that causes the disease. But with dengue fever, each illness is caused by a different type of virus, the body only creates immunity to that type of virus but is not able to fight the remaining types. Therefore, the second infection is usually more severe than the previous one because antibodies of 2 or 3 types of bacteria coexist and affect the human body. The reactions of fever, pain, bleeding will be more severe. Therefore, when you have dengue fever for the 2nd or 3rd time, you should not be subjective but need to go to the hospital immediately to be examined and treated promptly.

3. Is dengue fever contagious?

Dengue is spread when a mosquito bites an infected person and carries the virus to a normal person. Dengue fever is not transmitted by inhalation or casual contact with an infected person.

To avoid the transmission of dengue fever, it is necessary to remove the areas where the mosquitoes can reside by cleaning the drains; prison pond; Do not let water stagnate in containers, tanks, pots, flowerpots for a long time. Rainwater that collects in low-lying areas can also become a breeding ground for midges.
Spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes around the house, sleeping under a mosquito net is the best way to prevent dengue fever.

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