Saba Ahmed, Fehmina Arif, Yousuf Yahya, Arshaloos Rehman, Kashif Abbas, Sohail Ashraf, Dure Samin Akram.
Dengue fever outbreak in Karachi 2006 - A study of profile and outcome of children under 15 years of age.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;58(1):4-8.

Objective: To evaluate children with serologically confirmed Dengue fever in order to identify common clinical features, progress of disease, grades of severity and outcome of cases during the outbreak in 2006. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on serologically positive children with Dengue fever (DF) admitted in Civil Hospital Karachi and Liaquat National Hospital between October and November 2006. Various clinical features and laboratory parameters were analyzed for frequencies. Data was also evaluated to identify the common clinical types and grades of infection as classified by WHO. Results: A total of 35 children were evaluated in the study. Mean age of children was 8.3 ± 3.5 years and majority was male (54%). Sixty five percent were under 10 ± 3.5 years of age. Frequent clinical features included fever (97%), vomiting (68%), abdominal pain (68%) and rashes (65%). Gastrointestinal bleeding (61%) and epistaxis (26%) were commonest haemorrhagic manifestations. Thrombocytopenia (86%), anaemia (57%) and Leucopenia (43%) were common laboratory findings. Leukocyte count improved in 2 to 7 days and Platelet count in 2 to 8 days. Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) was seen in 22 children (62%). Majority had Grade-II severity. Mortality was 1 (3%) out of 35 patients. Conclusion: 2006 outbreak of Dengue infection in Karachi showed slight difference in clinical features and course of disease compared to epidemics in other regions, thereby, indicating the need for continuous seroepidemeological surveillance (JPMA 58:4;2008).

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As in the latest news more then 500 suspected victims of dengue virus reported in various hospitals of Karachi. The number of dengue patients is feared to rise following the recent heavy rains. Dengue fever is a flu-like illness spread by the bite of an infected mosquito "Aedes" result in relatively mild illness but in some cases it leads upto Dengue hemorrhagic fever. It is a severe condition when blood vessels start to leak and cause bleeding from the nose, mouth and gums. Bruising with swelling and pain is a sign of bleeding under the body and without prompt treatment, the blood vessels can collapse, causing shock (dengue shock syndrome). The fatality rate of Dengue hemorrhagic fever is around 5%, most of the victims are children and young adults. Infection with one virus does not protect a person against infection with another. It spread through biting of a mosquito called as Aedes which transmits the disease by biting an infected person and then biting someone else. The most favourable placed for breeding of Aedes are waste/ used tires, plants container, empty oil drums and water storage tanks close to human uses. They prey to their victims during day time. The main symptoms are acute/ high fever, rash usually appears 3 to 4 days after the start of the fever, severe headache, pain in the eyes, muscle and joints may lead upto breakbone fever. Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite are common. The illness can last up to 10 days, but complete recovery can take as long as a month. Older children and adults are usually sicker than young children. The time between the bite of a mosquito carrying dengue virus and the start of symptoms averages 4 to 6 days, with a range of 3 to 14 days. An infected person cannot spread the infection to other persons but can be a source of dengue virus for mosquitoes for about 6 days. Prevention: Protect your body from mosquito bite using ; - Mosquito repellents on skin and clothing. - Full slevves shirts with long pants iserted into socks during outdoors times when possibilities of mosquitoes biting are higher. - Avoid densely populated areas. - When indoors, stay in air-conditioned or screened areas. Alternatively use bednets in absence of air-conditioned or screened. - If you have symptoms of dengue, report your travel history to your doctor. Remove mosquito breeding sites in areas aroud residential area, Destroy used/old tyres or other containers that can collect rain or run-off water. Change the water containers in outdoor bird baths/ pets etc. and do not let water stand anywhere in houses/ streets on regular basis. Natural Remedy: Papaya Juice is very bitter but a good natural remedy for Dengue Fever. Method : Clean and pound 2 - 3 pcs leafy part (not stem or sap) and squeeze with filter cloth, it yields around one tablespoon per leaf. Do not use hot water while rinse for restoration of its efficacy. You can use one tea spoon full twice a day. Recommonded Homeo Medicines: EUPATORIUM PERFOLATUM, RHUS TOXICODENDRON OR BRYONIA according to symptoms.
Posted by: SEO786 on Sep 2009

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