Hands up who doesn’t know someone that has or has recently had the dreaded Dengue? The rains came late this year. The monsoons that usually arrive around December to March have just made their presence felt in April. The seasons are defiantly changing but a few things have not, and that is the diseases that the wet season brings.
These diseases are usually related to the creatures that thrive in the wet, one of them being the mosquito, and with the mosquito comes the dengue.
We must never become complacent about dengue fever. I so often hear people, including medical practitioners, make comments like “Oh, you’ll be ok. You’ll feel lousy and your platelets (blood clotting factor) might fall, but then on day 5 or 6 it will come back up again, it always does.”
WRONG! In most people this might be true, but there are enough cases where the platelet count just continues to fall, putting the patient in a life threatening situation. Unlike other diseases that are more prevalent in the lower socioeconomic groups, dengue fever has no prejudice and is just as much at home in the “villa” set as in a village “kampung”.
What Is Dengue Fever?
Dengue fever is a serious viral illness, transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti (Tiger) Mosquito. Dengue occurs in two forms, Dengue Fever (DF), and the more severe Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF).
Dengue fever is a severe flu like illness that causes fever, headaches and bone pain. DHF is a second more severe form of the disease causing bleeding and shock. Severe cases may be fatal, particularly in children.
How does Dengue Fever present?
The symptoms of dengue fever may vary according to the age, and condition of the patient. Should you or your child present with any of the following signs a doctor should be consulted immediately to confirm diagnosis.
Dengue fever:
Abrupt onset of high fever (>39 c or 102 f).
Headache.
Pain behind the eyes. Muscle & joint pain.
Rash.
Loss of appetite. Nausea / vomiting.
D.H.F:
All or any of the above symptoms.
Severe stomach pains.
Pale, cold or clammy skin.
Bleeding from the nose mouth or gums. Bruising or “blotchiness” under the skin.
Vomiting, with or without blood. (N.B. Vomited blood may be red or dark brown / black in appearance).
Black stools (Digested blood).
Change in level of consciousness (Drowsy, fainting).
Restlessness. Inconsolable crying in children / babies.
Excessive thirst. Rapid, weak pulse.
Difficulty in breathing.
PERSONS EXHIBITING ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS MUST SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
(For full info in DH, DHF, and mosquito control please go to the previous articles on dengue at the BA website as several articles have been published regarding dengue fever over the years).
What else could it be?
As the symptoms for DF are very similar to other fever based illnesses it can be difficult to get a definitive diagnosis. Other diseases that may present with very similar symptoms are typhoid fever, malaria (more common in eastern parts of Indonesia than in Bali), chikungunya or even just a bad dose of the flu.
What can you do about it?
There is no curative treatment for dengue except to treat the symptoms with fever reducers, and give extra fluids and electrolytes for dehydration. Blood transfusions may be necessary if the patient becomes hemorrhagic (bleeding).
Many people turn to traditional remedies to prevent or assist in the treatment of dengue. I recently received an email (which I am sure many of you did) on the use of papaya for dengue fever. Having researched this information a little further this is what I found.
(Please note that these cures are not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment. Platelet counts should always be monitored closely in anyone with dengue).
PAPAYA LEAF JUICE
Papaya leaf juice is said to increase platelet counts on those suffering from dengue fever. The exact pharmacology behind how this works is not clear, but it’s worth a try.
The juice is quite bitter however you can add sugar or honey to taste. Dengue patients should get one serving of this juice, once a day. Ingredients
2 papaya leaves
Sugar syrup or honey
Water (half a cup) How to prepare the juice
Clean the leaves and only take the leafy parts. Throw away the stem.
Pound the leaves and squeeze the juice through a strainer, preferably filter made of cloth. Don’t be discouraged as you can only get about one tablespoon of juice from 2 leaves.
Put in the juice, water and sugar syrup or honey into a glass and give it a stir
Please note that the juice should not be boiled, rinsed or cooked using hot water as it will lose all its medicinal strength.
Red Guava
The content of vitamin C in this fruit is five times more than in oranges. Not only the fruit, but the guava leaves are said to be useful in dengue fever prevention.
The results of research and testing conducted the University of Indonesia Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya reported that guava leaf extract could inhibit the dengue virus. Studies showed that the guava was also able to increase the number of platelets to 100 thousand platelets per cubic millimeter without side effects. These test results will be reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) for further clinical trials. If the result is positive, there is the possibility of guava leaf extract will be used in the treatment of dengue fever. Directions for Use:
Take 3 or 4 fruit of guava, and make it into juice (using juicer). Drink it everyday until the symptoms are reduced. Boxed guava juice loses about 25% of its vitamin C content due to the processing, but is still worth drinking if preparing the fresh fruit is difficult.
I cannot find any data that suggests these remedies to be clinically proven; at the very least you are giving the patient a good nutritious, vitamin and mineral packed drink which can only help. At the best it could assist in prevention and recovery from this disease and most certainly you will do no harm.
I am not qualified in natural remedies, I just like to ponder. Dr Tjok Gde Kerthayasa BhSc Homeopathy is a wealth of information on natural dengue therapies. His email address is tjokmahatma@hotmail.com
Kim Patra is a qualified registered nurse and midwife who has been living and working in Bali for almost 20 years. She now runs her own private practice and medical referral service from her Kuta office. Kim is happy to discuss any health concerns with you and she may be contacted via e-mail at info@chcbali.com or Hp. 081 2366 0000.
