8 common misconceptions about dengue fever

In the first 6 months of this year, the whole country recorded more than 30,000 cases of dengue fever, with three deaths. In Hanoi, there were 940 cases in the first 6 months of the year, an increase compared to the same period in 2023. Ho Chi Minh City had more than 3,700 cases as of June 16.

In Vietnam, dengue fever usually occurs from May to November every year. Although familiar, misunderstandings about the disease still exist, affecting treatment and prevention.

Mosquitoes only live in stagnant water.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Quang Thai, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that Aedes mosquitoes prefer to lay eggs in clean water areas. During the fight against the epidemic, he once met a family with a nest of larvae right under the refrigerator, a decorative flower vase... Mosquitoes live with humans and have the habit of sucking blood until full, so they can bite many people in succession. Therefore, Associate Professor Thai said that it is necessary to eliminate the environment where mosquitoes live, by cleaning the house, removing stagnant water areas in the living space such as discarded objects that can hold water, turning flower vases upside down, changing and cleaning water containers regularly...

Dengue fever only occurs during the rainy season.

Associate Professor Thai believes that we need to be vigilant and prevent diseases all year round, regardless of hot or cold weather. The reason is that the source of the disease is hidden in the community and will break out when there are enough opportunities and conditions; the urbanization process and population movement cause the disease to occur all year round.

Once in a lifetime

According to Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, Permanent Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association, many people believe that once they have contracted dengue fever, they are immune to it for life. In fact, there are four different types of dengue virus, including DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4. A person can contract the disease up to four times and the body only creates immunity to each type of virus that has been contracted, with no ability to cross-protect between types. The risk of serious complications often increases from the second time of contracting the disease onwards.

Recover when fever goes away

Dr. Khanh said this is also a common misunderstanding. Many people think that the fever and fatigue have gone away, and the body feels better, which is a sign that the disease has subsided. In fact, high fever is only the first symptom of the disease. Severe complications often occur during the fever-free stage, such as dengue shock syndrome with symptoms such as rash under the skin, nosebleeds, bone and joint pain, and sudden nausea. More seriously, the patient may experience multiple organ failure, secondary infection, and death. Therefore, doctors recommend that patients go to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment when the fever persists for two days or more.

Confused with other diseases

Common cases are mistaking dengue fever for other diseases. The reason is that the symptoms of high fever, fatigue, headache, and nausea when having dengue fever are often mistaken for the flu. The condition of subcutaneous hemorrhage is easily mistaken for allergies or mild dengue fever, leading to subjectivity and not timely treatment.

Dengue fever only occurs in children

In fact, epidemiological analysis in recent years shows that the incidence of dengue fever in the over 15 age group and the under 15 age group is similar. The risk of severe complications between the two groups is also not different. In particular, the elderly, those with underlying diseases, immunodeficiency and pregnant women are high-risk groups.

Can be self-treated

Many people think that dengue fever can be treated at home by intravenous fluids or oral medication. In fact, each stage of the disease has its own treatment indications. Severe cases also require diagnosis, close clinical monitoring and treatment by a team of experienced doctors.

Dengue fever is not fatal.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue fever is one of the top 10 threats to global health. From his experience in treatment, Dr. Khanh said that the dangerous stage of the disease is from the 2nd to the 7th day after symptoms appear, requiring close monitoring to promptly recognize and treat serious complications. If the patient goes into shock due to blood loss, plasma leakage, hypotension, multiple organ failure, death may occur. For pregnant women, dengue fever affects the lives of both mother and baby.

How to prevent disease?

The two experts assessed that the above misconceptions have caused people to not implement or not thoroughly implement measures to prevent dengue fever, leading to an increase in infections and creating pressure on the health sector in prevention and treatment.

One of the measures mentioned by Dr. Thai is effective disease prevention communication. Many people easily forget, so communication work needs to be repeated, education needs to be enhanced, and accurate information about dengue fever should be disseminated, "without fear of saying too much".

Dr. Khanh advised people to consider more proactive solutions in disease prevention. For example, the dengue fever vaccine approved by the Ministry of Health last May will help the body have active immunity, reducing the rate of serious complications and deaths, in addition to activities to control mosquitos that transmit the disease.

The information was given by two experts at the seminar "Sustainable dengue fever prevention: Combining mosquito control & preventive vaccination", held on June 24.