Dengue fever shows more unusual symptoms

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

Monday 2nd of July 2012

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 2 (PIA) -- If dengue fever can manifest in “by the books” symptoms then, health practitioners are now in for tougher times dealing with the disease that has claimed lives of at least 10 Boholanos since January 2012.

A nurse who sits as Provincial Dengue Program Coordinator and a medical officer based at the Department of Education (DepEd) schools’ division office in Bohol confirmed that the new dengue strain, brought by the aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carries symptoms that are not the usual indicators of the disease.

Nurse Polizena Rances and Dr. Aida Calamba of the DepEd here said that dengue then, can be confirmed following symptoms which can be “read” from their college books: headaches, three days of high fever, vomiting, exhaustion, rashes, swelling in the lymph nodes, intense joint and muscle pains and low platelet count.

Now, dengue fever however, has showed quite disturbing symptoms which may lead to conflicting diagnosis, both medical practitioners warned.

"Fever associated with dengue now may not be as high unlike then or platelet count can go erratic that proper medical monitoring is needed," Rances said.

Months ago, health sources revealed that dengue has become more virulent, and the disease comes out during rainy season, when mosquitoes breed in places where water collects after the rain.

At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA on June 28, Rances bared that dengue has hit 273 patients in Bohol from January to the third week of June.

Since then too, ten patients have died marking a case fatality rate of 3.66 percent in Bohol.

According to provincial epidemiology surveillance unit (PESU) Fritzie Olaguir, this is way too high based on the Department of Health standards of one percent of the total cases.

Olaguir also said most fatalities came to hospitals at a rather late admission.

While several patients arrived at the hospitals and health facilities in time, and were properly treated, some of them came too late, proving that tarrying is fatal in dengue cases.

Dr. Calamba, whose agency has spearheaded an anti dengue drive in schools said while prevention of the disease is still a layman’s best defense, seeking immediate medical attention is a crucial step in dengue treatment.

Dr. Calamba, nurses Olaguir, Rances and Angeles Bagnit all pressed that they need communities to join the drive by searching and destroying mosquito breeding places; patients seeking early medical attention; self protection and saying no to indiscriminate fogging. (mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol)