BENGALURU: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has termed the Dengue virus as one of the fastest spreading vector-borne viral disease, endemic in over 100 countries, putting at risk 40 per cent of the world’s population.
There are four dengue viruses (DENV) and it is caused by one of the four dengue serotypes (DENV -1,-2,-3 and -4). According to doctors, the dengue virus types cannot be identified or categorised by them, it can only be identified by the research centre laboratories. Only the National Institute of Virology in Pune can check if the virus is virulent.
“We cannot identify which type of dengue virus (DENV) the patient has. If the patient shows severe dengue conditions like haemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome with severe abdominal pain and more, the blood samples are sent to laboratories to check on the types,” said Dr Baliwanth A, Consultant Pediatrician, Manipal Pediatrics, Day Care Center Bangalore, Koramangala.
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But keeping aside dengue, during the monsoons, people at risk of being infected by the dengue virus can also catch a plethora of other viral fevers too. Rhinovirus infections, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), viral flu, measles and Rubella are some of the diseases that are just as common.
According to doctors in Bengaluru, Rhinovirus infections, influenza and RSV are also on a rise in the city lately. “As viruses tend to multiply during monsoon, there has been an increase in certain viral fevers. RSV is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children and they end up with a sore throat, fever, cough, headache, commonly seen in infants and toddlers. It can be highly contagious too,” said Dr. Rakshay Shetty, Intensivist, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Rainbow Hospital.
Seconding this, Dr. Ambanna Gowda, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru said, “Last year, dengue rates were below normal. This time, it is very high. Other viral fevers are high as well. There is a lot of pollution with the rains, construction debris everywhere and a change in the weather, leading to all viral fevers. Many show signs similar to dengue.”
Scouting for larvae, health workers are having a tough time with the emergence of several new places of mosquito breeding like unused toilet commodes. “Some of the newly-found mosquito breeding sites are commonly frequented by unaware people. As they co-exist with the urban population in these places, the chanches of being bitten by mosquitoes from these places are quite high,” a health official revealed.
