How long does it take to get dengue fever after being bitten by a mosquito?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Nhat - Infectious Diseases Doctor - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
Dengue fever is a viral disease, often with periodic outbreaks and if not treated promptly, the risk of death is very high. Around this disease, many people wonder how long it takes to get sick from a mosquito bite? How long is the incubation period of dengue fever?

1. Overview of dengue fever situation in our country

In Vietnam, the situation of dengue infection is not fixed. The peak period of dengue outbreak is usually from June to October every year. Dengue fever incidence increased continuously, from more than 24,000 cases in 2000 to nearly 70,000 cases in 2011. More than 85% of dengue cases and 90% of deaths occurred in the southern provinces of our country. In which, about 90% of all dengue deaths are in children under 15 years of age. The positive thing is that Vietnam has made efforts to reduce the mortality rate due to dengue fever, which is less than 1/1000 from 2005 to present.
You may be interested: Dengue fever in Hanoi is likely to break out in late March, early April

2. If you are bitten by a mosquito, do you get sick with dengue fever?

Around the question of how long the incubation period of dengue fever is from mosquito bites, doctors said that from the time of infection with the mosquito-borne virus, the patient will experience an incubation period of 3-14 days (average is about 4 - 14 days). 10 days).
After passing the incubation period, dengue fever begins to flare up with initial symptoms, however, the symptoms of dengue fever are not specific but closely resemble the flu. Patients usually have a persistent fever from 2 days to 1 week, which gradually subsides when the virus is no longer in the blood. In addition to a high fever above 40°C, the patient may experience at least 2 of the following:
Headache Pain behind the eye sockets Nausea, vomiting Swollen lymph nodes Muscle, bone or joint pain Rash or itchiness.

Next comes the hemorrhagic phase. This severe period usually occurs on the 3rd - 7th day from the onset of the disease, dangerous complications can appear. A drop in body temperature does not mean that the patient is recovering. On the contrary, it is necessary to watch for warning signs of advanced disease as follows:
Acute abdominal pain Persistent vomiting Bleeding gums Vomiting blood Rapid breathing Fatigue, restlessness If suspected, the patient has symptoms Severe symptoms of dengue fever, change to the hemorrhagic period, need to take the patient to the nearest medical center for emergency. If delayed, the patient may face risks such as:
Plasma leakage causing shock or fluid retention, accompanied by respiratory failure Severe bleeding Severe multi-organ failure. Basically, severe dengue shock is an advanced disease that causes circulatory failure, hypotension, and stuck blood pressure (the difference between systolic and maximal blood pressure is less than 20 mmHg). Finally, shock leads to rapid death (8-24 hours after signs of circulatory failure) if not treated promptly.
MORE: Dengue fever: Which stage is the most dangerous?

3. How to prevent dengue mosquitoes

Reducing the source of infection by eliminating the breeding and egg-laying environment of midges is the best way to prevent dengue. When the number of eggs, larvae and larvae decreases, it will lead to a decrease in adult dengue mosquitoes, thereby reducing the level of dengue transmission. Some useful tips to prevent the disease are as follows:
Prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs by cleaning up a favorable environment for mosquitoes to breed, for example, containers for domestic water must be covered or removed from standing water. Carefully generate water containers each week to remove mosquito eggs, prevent eggs, larvae or pupae from maturing into dengue mosquitoes Properly dispose of waste, remove artificial habitats for mosquitoes Add salt or suitable insecticides into outdoor water containers Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites by sleeping under mosquito nets, wearing long-sleeved clothing, using mosquito repellants... Awareness, propaganda and appeal Calling everyone to participate in the fight against dengue Spraying dengue fever mosquitoes during an outbreak is an emergency control measure Detecting clinical symptoms and monitoring dengue patients to reduce mortality due to severe illness. Above is information about the characteristics of the vector that transmits the disease, how long it takes to be bitten by a mosquito, and how to prevent it. The course of dengue fever is quite complicated, the prognosis is difficult, and it can be severe at any age and time. Therefore, do not be subjective with this disease, but must immediately go to a medical facility when there are suspicious signs to be properly diagnosed and treated.
With many years of experience in the examination and treatment of diseases, now at Vinmec International General Hospital, it has become one of the major health care centers, capable of examining, screening and treatment of many specialized diseases. In addition, with the support of modern medical equipment, it will help the examination and diagnosis process accurately, providing a high chance of treatment and recovery for patients.

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