Q&A: Dengue fever
| • | State preparing response to dengue fever outbreak |
| • | Tourism chief says measures adequate |
| • | Special report: Dengue fever: health crisis in the making |
Advertiser Staff
State health officials have been inundated with calls from people wanting to know more about dengue fever, which first surfaced on Maui in June. Here are some common questions about the disease and its origins.
Q. What is dengue fever?
A. Dengue fever is an acute mosquito-born febrile disease caused by a virus.
Q. How is it spread?
A. A mosquito bites an infected person and spreads the virus when it bites someone else.
Q. What are the disease's symptoms?
A. Dengue causes a sudden high fever, severe head and body aches, nausea and vomiting, and rash on the hands and feet. Symptoms may last for 10 days, but complete recovery can take up to four weeks. In rare cases, dengue can cause fainting, shock and internal bleeding. It is rarely fatal.
Q. Who can get dengue fever?
A. Anyone bitten by an infected mosquito can contract the disease, which occurs worldwide, especially in tropical areas.
Q. How many people in Hawai'i are infected?
A. Twenty-six dengue cases have been confirmed on Maui by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 100 more suspected cases have been reported on Maui, O'ahu, Kaua'i and the Big Island.
Q. How did the outbreak begin?
A. Officials believe the virus was introduced through multiple infected people who visited or came from other Pacific islands, such as American Samoa and Tahiti, where dengue is already epidemic.
Q. How can the disease be stopped?
A. There is no vaccine to prevent dengue, but there are ways to keep it from spreading: Avoid mosquitoes, especially during daylight hours; use mosquito repellent on skin and clothing; eliminate mosquito-breeding areas around your home, such as discarded tires or containers that may collect water.
Q. How is dengue diagnosed?
A. Blood tests and clinical findings can determine if a person is infected.
Q. What is the treatment for dengue?
A. Infected people should see a physician and receive plenty of rest and fluids. Severe cases require treatment with intravenous fluids, transfusions and oxygen therapy. Avoid aspirin.
Q. Can past infection make a person immune?
A. There are four types of dengue viruses. Exposure to one type provides immunity to only that specific type of dengue virus.
Q. What kind of mosquitoes spread dengue?
A. In Hawai'i, the disease is spread by the Asian tiger mosquito, or Aedes albopictus. The insect can be distinguished from other mosquitoes by its black-and-white checkered legs and white stripe down the top of its thorax, or midsection.
Q. How long do the mosquitoes live, and how far can they travel?
A. The mosquitoes live four to six weeks and can fly about 500 yards.
Q. What other precautions can I take?
• Eliminate stagnant water in any containers left outside.
• Regularly change water in outdoor pet containers or bird baths.
• Make sure rain gutters are not clogged and collecting water.
• Wear closed shoes with socks, long trousers, long-sleeved shirts to protect from being bitten.
• Have indoor areas well-screened so mosquitoes cannot enter the home.
• Repair screens at your home or office for any rips or holes.
• Use a solution of 4 ounces of detergent per 1 gallon of water to spray on the surface of water in plants or containers that cannot be drained.
• If you have any dengue symptoms, report this immediately to your physician and call the Department of Health.
Source: state health officials, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
