Dengue is the most extensively spread mosquito-borne disease; endemic in more than 100 countries. Approximately 2.5 billion people live in dengue-risk regions with about 100 million new cases each year worldwide. The cumulative dengue diseases burden has attained an unprecedented proportion in recent times with sharp increase in the size of human population at risk.Amid the rising cases, Uttar Pradesh has become one of the worst-hit states in India by the dengue fever outbreak.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection, and the virus responsible for causing dengue, is called dengue virus (DENV). There are four DENV serotypes, meaning that it is possible to be infected four times.While many DENV infections produce only mild illness, DENV can cause an acute flu-like illness, occasionally developing into a potentially lethal complication, called severe dengue. There is no specific treatment for dengue/severe dengue, however Dengue deaths are preventable if we take timely interventions.Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1%. Until now, no vaccine has been developed to prevent Dengue virus. The only prevention is to avoid mosquito bites. Dengue prevention and control depends on effective vector control measures.
Dengue is one of the major public health problems which can be controlled with active participation of the community. Need is to organize health education programmes about dengue disease to increase community knowledge and sensitize the community to participate in integrated vector control programmes.
