Fresh morning news

I read a very recent news in today's Mumbai Mirror about a vaccine to be released. The first dengue vaccine in the world is soon to be released.

Dengue fever & dengue hemorrhagic fever are acute febrile diseases, occurs in tropics, can be life threatening & caused by 4 closely related virus serotypes of the genus flavivirus, family flaviviridiae. It is also called Breakbone fever. It is commonly seen in the tropical region. The virus is transmitted to the body by mosquitoes.

Manifestations are: -

• Sudden onset severe headache
• Muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Fever
• Rash
• The dengue rash is characteristically bright red petechiae & usually appears first appears on the lower limbs & the chest & in some patients it spreads throughout the body.
• Sometimes gastritis along with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting & diarrhea.

Currently there is no specific treatment for dengue. The treatment is only symptomatic & attempts are made to bring the platelet count back to normal, as the platelet count drops enormously.

The dengue vaccine is been developed by Malaysian Health Ministry along with a private company. The trials would commence soon said the Malaysian Health Director General.