From the Editor
Dengue fever is an infectious disease carried by mosquitoes and caused by any of four related dengue viruses: DEN-1. DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4. This disease is also called break-bone fever because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking, hence the name.You can get dengue virus infections from the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite infected humans, and later transmit infection to other people they bite. The dengue viral infection causes fever and generalised pains and aches. The fever is common worldwide in the tropic, sub-tropics, Central and South America, Africa, South and East Asia. The SAARC and ASEAN countries are the favourite hunting grounds for the mosquitoes carrying the parasites and viruses that cause Malaria and Dengue.
Since the 1980s the reported cases of dengue have increased and rapidly accelerated in the 1990s. As of to day about 7-8 million people live in high risk areas. Dengue, first detected in1990s following the outbreak of such areas in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Since 2000, dengue assumes epidemic proportions from time to time.
Dengue outbreaks usually occur in summer and monsoon in our country. Dengue mosquitoes breed in fresh water, such as small mud holes, tin and earthen pots left open and in which rain water may pour in and remain unused for a number of days. The best way to fight dengue is to create wide-scale awareness and practice personal, community and social hygiene and sanitation.
