Dengue Health Dictionary

Breakbone fever. An acute tropical disease caused by the mosquito Aedes aegypti. Rarely fatal, lasting 3-4 days.

Symptoms: intensely irritable measles-like rash which responds to Chickweed ointment. Fever, vomiting, painful muscles, headache. A number of relapses may occur before recovery. Each attack is followed by depression and physical weakness.

Treatment. Guaiacum can usually be relied upon to reduce the fever. Abundant herb teas indicated: Yarrow, Elderflowers, Boneset, Chamomile, Golden Rod, Wild Thyme.

Formula. Powders, Liquid Extracts, Tinctures. Combine Yarrow 3; Fringe Tree 1; Guaiacum quarter.

Doses. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Liquid Extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. Thrice daily. 

A tropical disease caused by a virus spread by the mosquito AEDES AEGYPTI.

Symptoms include fever, headache, rash, and joint and muscle pains, which often subside after about 3 days.

There is no specific treatment for dengue.

Prevention involves protection against mosquito bites (see insect bites).

Also known as dengue fever, breakbone fever, and dandy fever, dengue is endemic and epidemic in tropical and subtropical regions. It is an acute infection caused by a ?avivirus (family togaviridae) transmitted by mosquitoes – especially Aedes aegypti. Incubation period is 5–8 days, and is followed by abrupt onset of symptoms: fever, facial ERYTHEMA with intense itching (which spreads throughout the body), sore throat, running eyes, and painful muscles and joints are common accompaniments. The symptoms subside within a few days and are frequently succeeded by a relapse similar to the ?rst. Further relapses may occur, and joint pains continue for some months. In uncomplicated dengue the mortality rate is virtually zero. Diagnosis is by virus isolation or demonstration of a rising antibody-concentration in the acute phase of infection. There is no speci?c treatment, but mild analgesics can be used to relieve the pains, and calamine lotion the itching. Prevention can be achieved by reduction of the mosquito-vector population.

Dengue haemorrhagic fever This is a more severe form of the disease which usually occurs in young children; it is largely con?ned to the indigenous population(s) of south-east Asia. It is accompanied by signi?cant complications and mortality. Immunological status of the host is considered important in pathogenesis.

(breakbone fever) n. a disease caused by arboviruses and transmitted to humans principally by the mosquito *Aëdes aegypti. Symptoms, which last for a few days, include severe pains in the joints and muscles, headache, sore throat, fever, running of the eyes, and an irritating rash. These symptoms recur in a usually milder form after an interval of two or three days. Death rarely occurs, but the patient is left debilitated and requires considerable convalescence. A more severe form, dengue haemorrhagic fever, characterized by a breakdown of the blood-clotting mechanism with internal bleeding, can affect children. Dengue occurs throughout the tropics and subtropics. Patients are given aspirin and codeine to relieve the pain and calamine lotion is helpful in easing the irritating rash.