KMU organizes media awareness briefing on dengue fever
The Vice Chancellor Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar Prof. Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah has said that there is no vaccine or drug to prevent dengue fever, the only way to prevent dengue fever is to avoid mosquito bites, he was talking to the media awareness briefing organized by KMU here at Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IPM&R) Hayatabad, Peshawar. Prof. Dr. Shad Muhammad Dir. AA&QA, Prof. Dr. Jawad Ahmad Dir. IBMS, Dr. Ayaz Ayub Dir. Institute of Public Health and Social Sciences (IPH&SS) and Dr. Naeem Khattak were also present during the briefing.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah said that, dengue fever is a mosquito-borne infection that causes a severe flu-like illness and sometimes potentially lethal complications called dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome both of which can be fatal. It is caused by the dengue virus, a member of the Flaviviridae family. He requested the media to play its due role in creating awareness among the general public regarding causes and prevention of dengue fever.
He said that media will not only aware of his moral and social responsibility but it should also come forward in defeating this epidemic as well. Regarding prevention of dengue fever VC KMU said that a good repellent containing (DEET) must be used on exposed skin together with light cover-up clothing. In endemic areas, we should rely on the elimination of mosquito breeding sites in the community by regular inspections and insecticide spraying of properties and the education of local residents to regularly empty standing water and keep outside areas free from waste items in which water may collect.
While briefing the media on dengue fever, its symptoms and current situation, Dr. Ayaz Ayub and Dr. Naeem Khttak said that WHO has estimated that 2.5 billion people are at risk of acquiring dengue fever and that approximately 50 million infections occur each year. It occurs in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The Aedes mosquito likes to breed in household water storage containers and other waste containers where rainwater collects.
They said that classic dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death. The clinical features of dengue fever range from nonexistent or mild to severe and vary according to the age of the patient. Infants and young children may have a fever with rash. Older children and adults may have either a mild fever or the classical incapacitating disease with abrupt onset and high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains and a rash.
The KMU public health experts said that the dengue virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito. When the mosquito feeds on the blood of a person infected with dengue, the virus enters and multiplies within the mosquito. After about 8-10 days, the mosquito can transmit the virus to another human and can do this for the rest of its life. The Aedes mosquito bites during the day particularly around dawn and dusk. There is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue fever where as supportive nursing care and careful management of symptoms is the standard treatment.
