Beware! If you are infected with dengue virus, taking ibuprofen will make the condition worse

recently

Guangdong has 1,785 new dengue cases in 7 days

CDCs in many places issued alerts

Remind everyone to be vigilant about the risk of imported cases

It is important to note that

Shenzhen CDC urgent reminder

“Taking ibuprofen will make it worse”

So, what exactly is dengue fever?

Why would taking ibuprofen make things worse?

Dengue fever is an acute insect-borne infectious disease caused by dengue virus. It is spread continuously through the pathway of "patients/hidden infected persons → Aedes mosquitoes (commonly known as 'flower mosquitoes') → other people", and is generally not directly transmitted between people. Infected people usually develop symptoms 4 to 7 days after being bitten by a mosquito carrying dengue virus, or even two weeks later , and the symptoms generally last 5 to 7 days.

Symptoms of dengue fever vary greatly from person to person and can be mild or severe. They may include the following:

● Fever;

● Headache;

● Eye socket pain;

● Joint and muscle pain;

● Feeling tired, sometimes lasting for days to weeks;

● A rash, which may be flat or have small papules and may itch. Studies have found that patients with first-time dengue infection are more likely to develop a rash.

● Stomach upset, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea;

● Cough, sore throat and nasal congestion;

● Small purple spots on the skin or black stools;

● Red eyes;

● Swollen lymph nodes.

In general, most of the symptoms of dengue fever are very similar to those of the common cold and influenza , and it is difficult to distinguish them based on the symptoms alone.

Moreover, the symptoms of children and young people who are infected are often milder. Therefore, doctors often combine local epidemic characteristics and the patient's travel history to assist in the diagnosis of the disease.

Therefore, if you find yourself or your family facing the above symptoms and have been bitten by a mosquito recently , it is recommended that you go to a medical institution for treatment in time.

Dengue fever can be reinfected , and the risk of developing severe symptoms is higher if you are infected with the dengue virus again .

This is because dengue virus is divided into 4 serotypes. Infection with one dengue virus does not mean immunity to other dengue viruses, so secondary infection may occur . Generally speaking, the first infection does not cause severe symptoms for most people, and they will produce immune antibodies to the dengue serotype after recovery.

However, if you are subsequently infected with another serotype of dengue virus, the antibodies produced previously will not only fail to protect against another dengue virus, but may greatly increase the risk of severe illness after the second infection, and in severe cases may lead to symptoms such as shock and organ failure.

Therefore, the most important thing to do when facing dengue fever is to take good precautions . The best way to prevent dengue fever is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus. In daily life, we cannot tell which type of mosquito will carry the virus, so the best measure is to avoid being bitten by all mosquitoes. The specific measures and suggestions are:

● The peak of mosquito activity usually occurs 1-2 hours before sunrise in the morning and 2-3 hours before sunset in the evening. Mosquitoes are more active in the evening than in the morning. Therefore, it is best to stay indoors during this period and prepare necessary mosquito-proof measures such as screens and mosquito nets in the house;

● Wear shoes, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat when going out;

● Use mosquito repellent containing DEET or icaridin ;

● Check for places with stagnant water near your home and deal with them properly, such as pools, buckets, and plants in pots, as mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.

As with most other viruses, there is currently no specific medicine for dengue virus infection, and treatment is mainly focused on relieving symptoms .

After being infected with dengue fever, most people experience symptoms of fever and pain , both of which can usually be relieved with "antipyretic and analgesic drugs", the most commonly used of which are acetaminophen and ibuprofen .

But be aware that using ibuprofen to relieve pain and fever when infected with dengue fever may make the condition worse.

This is because the dengue virus may affect the body's coagulation function , causing the number of platelets in the infected person to decrease, resulting in abnormal coagulation function and bleeding tendencies, such as nose bleeding, bleeding gums, skin bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, etc.

Ibuprofen belongs to the class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which mainly work by inhibiting the activity of cyclooxygenase (COX) . On the one hand, ibuprofen can effectively relieve fever, analgesia, and anti-inflammation; on the other hand, it can affect the function of platelets and increase the risk of bleeding .

Therefore, when dealing with other viruses, the risk of bleeding is not high when using ibuprofen to relieve symptoms. But for a virus like dengue fever that affects the body's blood clotting function, using ibuprofen is equivalent to doubling the risk .

In addition to ibuprofen, aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not recommended . Acetaminophen is recommended as the first choice.

(1)

Clearing water

Change: Change the water of aquatic plants regularly.

Clean: Clean up accumulated water in water dispensers, flower pot bases, etc. in a timely manner.

Turn over: Unused and discarded containers must be removed or turned over.

Breeding: Stock fish into water tanks, fish tanks, etc. at appropriate times.

(2)

Hygiene

Ventilation: Keep the room ventilated and avoid moisture.

Sweep: Clean frequently to keep your home clean and hygienic.

(3)

Anti-bite

Isolation: Install screen doors and windows at home and use mosquito nets; try to wear light-colored long-sleeved tops and long pants when going out.

Repellent: Apply mosquito repellent on exposed skin and clothing, and reapply promptly.

Kill: Use mosquito coils, electric mosquito swatters, insecticide sprays, etc. to kill adult mosquitoes in a timely manner.

Finally, Dr. Ke would like to remind everyone

Dengue virus is scary

But judging from the current data

There are not many severe cases or deaths caused by

So there is no need to panic too much

Take mosquito prevention measures

Avoid mosquito bites

The best way to prevent dengue fever

If you or your family members have symptoms such as fever or rash

Seek medical attention promptly

Consult a professional doctor

This is the end of this issue

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Source: Science Popularization China, Guangdong Health Online, China Daily Online.

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