A survey released today (15) by the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI) and biopharmaceutical company Takeda revealed that 31% of Brazilians believe dengue fever no longer exists during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But this perception contradicts data from the Ministry of Health, which showed a 43.5% growth in the number of dengue cases, taking into account the first six weeks of the current year compared to the same period last year.
Dengue Research: Impact of the Disease in Brazil, was heard by two thousand Brazilians over the phone between October 19-30 last year and carried out by Intelligence in Research and Consulting (Ipec).
In addition to the 31% who believe dengue is no longer in a pandemic, another 22% say the risk of contracting the disease has decreased. Among the reasons given for the two cases, 28% said they had not heard more about the disease and 22% answered that “every disease is now COVID-19” and there are no cases of dengue.
For the researchers, the fact that the Brazilian population considers the disease no longer present during the pandemic may lead to a loosening of control and prevention measures, increasing the risk of contracting the disease.
This fact revealed by the research is alarming. With the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic, many infectious diseases, such as the arbovirus (dengue), have been put into the background and even forgotten. We need to resume discussion and care with dengue,” warned Alberto Tchapo, an infectious disease physician and chair of the SBI.
Among the Brazilians consulted, 30% said they had already contracted dengue, and 70% said they knew someone who had the disease. Of those who had already fallen ill, just over half (55% of the total) claimed to have made some changes in their homes to prevent mosquito spread, such as increasing yard hygiene, and avoiding leaving standing water in them. Potted plants and increased care for standing water.
Although research has indicated that Brazilians are familiar with the disease, there is still a lack of knowledge about how it develops, forms of prevention and transmission. The form of infection, for example, is completely unknown by the population: 76% were right, saying that it was caused by a mosquito bite, but 8% said they did not remember how the transmission occurred and 4% said that it occurs from a person. For someone person – this does not happen. In addition, six out of ten participants (59%) did not know how often a person could become ill. Only 2% realize that dengue can be caught up to four times, since there are only four subtypes of dengue: Those who have already been infected with dengue by some type of virus do not register a new bout of the disease of the same type.
Dengue fever is an infectious disease transmitted by the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito and has four different serotypes. Whoever is infected with one type is not immune from the other types. The period of the year with the highest transmission rates of the disease occurs in the wetter months in each region, usually from November to May. The accumulation of stagnant water contributes to the spread of mosquitoes and thus the spread of the disease further, so the Ministry of Health warns of the importance of avoiding stagnant water because mosquito eggs can live for up to a year in the area. Environment.
In general, the first manifestations of dengue fever is a high temperature above 38 ° C, which lasts from 2 to 7 days, accompanied by headache, pain in the body and joints, in addition to prostration, weakness, pain behind the eyes, and red spots on the skin. the skin. Rashes and itchy skin can also occur. In some cases, it can develop into a severe form.
There is no specific treatment for this disease. The measures adopted are aimed at controlling symptoms. Patients suspected of having dengue fever should seek medical advice as soon as the first symptoms appear.
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