Dengue Outbreak Hits Bangkok, 48 Dead Nationwide So Far

[rken]

My wife was bitten about two weeks ago, and came down with Dengue. I thought it was malaria which is what she said. Turns out its Dengue and there's not a lot they can do for it except keep you hydrated. She stayed 2 nights and then came home, and was still feeling pretty bad. Headache and fever. I got my hands on some MMS and after two days she was up and around sweeping and moping the floors and doing laundry. So all is well now. They say that if you get bit a second time is when it really get dangerous and deadly. I guess its 2 strikes and your out. So if you've had it once be extra careful. Aloha Rick

[BusyBee123]

what is MMS?

[Payboy]

what is MMS?

its something that makes women sweep floors and take care of laundry.....

Edited August 2, 2008 by Payboy

[dannyman]

MMS= More Mopping Slave !

[aussimike]

One of the Thai blokes at work claimed that by drinking 'whiskey', one deters mosquito bites and reduces the risk of catching dengue fever. Is there any truth in his comments?

HEY ya of course it works and they are spot on!!! because if u drink enough your not going to know if you have the fever or not and if you did you would not care hehe

[aussimike]

what is MMS?

its something that makes women sweep floors and take care of laundry.....

ya CUT the cable and power to the TV and leave a 1000 baht note tied to a broom handle --- might work but then again with the ladies i know - i might not - Thai women are not really into house work i have found - well not to the same standard as i am used to - so hence - guess who is the cinderella around here --

[bKkRk]

So there's not much you can do about this once you've got it is what I'm understanding. I went to the ER at 2am last night after 36 hours with a world championship headache, neck pain, and most recently 39+ fever. I got a shot of antibiotics and pain meds and was sent on my way with more antibiotics and vitamin C. The doctor wasn't interested in blood tests unless this continues much into next week. I would gladly take that gun to relieve the head.

[Foggy Bottom]

Residents should drain off any stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and use abates sand, a pesticide, to destroy their larvae.

Does anyone know what "abates sand" is? If standing water is located in a place where draining is impossible e.g. a sump, is pouring a thin layer of some kind of oil on top a workable solution?

In Central America in the early 80's, we used to "swingfog" the entire compound dawn and dusk - that's those insecticide smoke machines that sound like a German V1 flying bomb that the local government here sends round once a month.

We also used to throw a cup of kerosene on the water of all the local "bondu" swamp pools and into all the storm ditches etc - only needed to do that once every few months though. A cupfull of kero spreads across a huge surface area on water - we "skinned" a 10 acre swamp with just one cupful - it does the job of preventing the mozzies from laying their eggs and stops existing larvae from emerging into the air.

Probably completely illegal to do it now though (and definately dodgy to the environment) but it worked a treat back then.

Gaz

[Foggy Bottom]

Me and my oldest son are now suffering from it I think. Extreme body and head ache high temp 39 degrees no rash though. I had a look around for any standing water and noticed that I changed my tires a few weeks ago and they were full of mozzies. I drilled holes in them and all the water and larve drained out. I was wondering were all the b@stards were coming from. Well the sofa is calling.

Well what the bloody hel_l are you doing posting on TV then mate? You need to get your son and yourself down to the hospital pronto.

Theirs not much they can do except but us on a drip. We are both holding our fluids so there is no need for that. We live close to the hospital if either of us deteriorate thats were we will go.

Having had a dengue scare 2 weeks ago, here's what the doctor emphatically told me -

The blood test for dengue confirmation is ineffective until the third day of fever. Before that, the platelet and other indicators could easily be regular flu or any similar feverish illness, after the third day, there are characteristic indicators in the red and white blood cell count etc.

The "hurting hair" someone mentioned certainly agrees with what I had - just brushing my hand lightly over the tips of my hair induced a migraine like headache localised to wherever was touched.

The rash does not appear until the day after the fever peaks (my 9-month old son had a bad fever 4 weeks ago and like me, the day after the fever peaked, he was covered with a measles like rash that disappeared of its own accord after 2-3 days).

I was lucky - it wasn't dengue though all non-clinical indicators were that it was dengue. It was only the blood tests that confirmed it wasn't. As a result the doc gave me zero medication to clear whatever it was, and I had to sweat it out for 10 days - still not fully recovered yet. There's something nasty doing the rounds that has the symptoms of both dengue and malaria combined, but the local medics seem stumped as to what it is.

The bloke on the other side of the soi had DHF about 2 months back. He delayed and delayed going to the doctor for about a week, then ended up in intensive care for 10 days when his wife finally hired a tuk tuk "mob" to bodily cart him off to the hospital. They now have a 300K medical bill on combined salary of 8K a month.

Advice - on the 3rd day of fever, get to the doc/hospital and request a dengue test regardless of any other indicators. The results are usually available within the hour if you use your local general clinic.

Gaz

[Tony Clifton]

I was admitted to a local hospital a few years ago for similar symptoms and they kept the whole thing a mystery, massive doses of antibiotics, never seemed to want to tell me what was I had, actually left the hospital 10 days later without an answer.... Bad for tourism I guess.

[Payboy]

what is MMS?

its something that makes women sweep floors and take care of laundry.....

ya CUT the cable and power to the TV and leave a 1000 baht note tied to a broom handle --- might work but then again with the ladies i know - i might not - Thai women are not really into house work i have found - well not to the same standard as i am used to - so hence - guess who is the cinderella around here --

or you could hide some bahts around the house for a modified version of wash house harriets...

[Prakanong]

Is it true that the most dangerous mozzies are the ones biting in daylight?

Note I am not an expert on mosquitos as I get rarely bitten but from what I heard over the last 20+ years in Thailand, its correct. They bite in the daytime and the back seems to be higher then the front. No idea if the other types look different.

A friend of mine almost got killed last year....

Certain daytime mozzies are Dengue carriers - night - time Malaria

Two main Dengue carriers - most Thai's have the antibodies for at leat one strain - 4 main strains with a lot of sub strains

Vaccine trials now in Thailand but they are slow - the US Military is a main lead but with other priorities they seem to take a long time to get going even with dedicated excellent professionals working on this

[KKK]

I caught dengue in Pattaya last year. I don't wish it upon anyone. After spending baht 9,000 at the local hospital on tests, tests, and more tests plus a few overpriced paracetamols and vit C it was confirmed that I had dengue. No real cure for it..keep hydrated, rested, and don't use Aspirin. It generally goes away after 2 weeks unless it turns into something more serious like the haemorrhagic version. My Doc said that he sees as many as 100 people a month with Dengue.

Funny thing is that I used to see some city trucks going around spraying killing the mossies. But I haven't seen them in the last year or two. Could it be a coincidence...no spraying=increase in Dengue cases!!!!

[Prakanong]

I was admitted to a local hospital a few years ago for similar symptoms and they kept the whole thing a mystery, massive doses of antibiotics, never seemed to want to tell me what was I had, actually left the hospital 10 days later without an answer.... Bad for tourism I guess.

Thai Dr's are very experienced in the main with Dengue. All you can do is treat the symptoms - antibiotics are not part of that.

Unless they were extracting asmuch money from you withour harming you they were not treating the Dengue if you had it.

PS: They can terst you for Dengue if they want - many times though you are diagnosed on symptoms alone if they or you do not want to incur the cost.

PPS: I saw a very senior Thai Dr present on Dengue cases recently - the end stage was horrific but that is usually rare compared to number of cases

[samskywalker]

Listerine (mouth wash) sprayed on or around an area or a person keeps them away. Don't now why but they will not go near the stuff.

At first I thought the listerine bit was a joke as my brother is always sending me things he think are humorous. But I tried using it to clear out the mozzies and it bloody works! Pour listerine in a windex spray bottle or another similar pump spray and spray it liberally around low areas, under picnic tables etc and trees and bushes if you are planning to picnic outdoors or spend some time in shaded areas. Another remedy I thought was bosh was putting vicks vaporub on the bottom of my feet and then wearing socks when I went to bed if I had a cough or cold. It works too. Got over the worst case I had ever had of bronchitis in just one nght. I had been coughing for weeks prior to that time. Stay healthy.

[m02]

HEADACHES: Way back when in Vietnam, the strain of dengue in our area was the 'retro-orbital' pain type (meaning headaches like an ice pick being jabbed in the back of the eyes). This was so bad the guys couldn't do much more than lay still in bed, and maybe turn their head very slowly. The one thing that moderated the headaches some was Fiorinal, which is a prescription aspirin barbiturate compound usually used for migraines and 'dry socket' tooth pain. Taking this allowed the guys to get back up on their feet and walk around some.

Taking aspirin is generally contraindicated in cases of dengue as if the strain tends toward the hemorrhagic type aspirin will tend to make things worse. Also aspirin would tend to give false negative slide smear results for malaria, which the western physicians back then, who weren't all that familiar with tropical diseases, insisted on.

An interesting note about the dosages is that, in these cases, the efficacy of the drug dropped daily, so the dosage levels continually rose. It just so happened that after two weeks or so, the disease would run its course just about at the same time the dosage reached the maximum cut off level.

SPRAYING: A very good insecticide would be one of the permethryns. I haven't keep up on the subject for a few years, and they have all sorts of new varieties, but they are very effective with low toxicity levels. This was the treatment of choice years ago for treating mosquito nets - and most aerosol insecticides you buy at the store now use it. Just have someone look in the yellow pages for insecticide retailers / wholesalers and call around. Last time I bought some in Chiang Mai (retailer on Tapae road) was about six years ago, and a 500 ml bottle cost around 500 baht - it was a concentrate which could be diluted a lot. What you really want is the insecticide mixed together with a micro-encapsulating chemical, which protects it from UV breakdown and lets it stick to surfaces - I can't remember the exact name but about 10 years ago I used an excellent product from China. These mixtures will last for a good three months on sheltered surfaces. It also has a repellent effect but isn't effective on your skin as enzymes will destroy it very quickly - it's good however to soak your outer clothes with.

GOVT. ACTIVITIES: My wife is a public health nurse, who does volunteer work locally. Last week she told me there had been four cases of dengue in the village. Part of her volunteer work is to educate people on dengue and other health issue, plus she visits the home of each patient to talk with the families, and then directs other volunteers who fan out looking for mosquito breeding sites. Information about this and other issues are also broadcast on the village and sub-district announcement systems, so there is, at least on one level, a wide spread government program to educate and reduce the threat.

[0Mix1up]

Yes got it last year a friend as well.

Weren't tested till later and no indication of it.

So maybe another strain?

[Wandering]

Is it true that the most dangerous mozzies are the ones biting in daylight?

ilyushin added an article saying:

The disease "dengue fever" is carried by a particular species of mosquito, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is active all day.

Rule of thumb: Dengue mosquito's get you during the day.

Malaria mosquito's get you early morning and early evening.

[operator]

Isn't it true that only female mosquitos bites humans. Blood sucking bitches. Come to Thailand and you have females sucking your blood and other females sucking up your money.

[Tony Clifton]

Isn't it true that only female mosquitos bites humans. Blood sucking bitches. Come to Thailand and you have females sucking your blood and other females sucking up your money.

I can t find the article but one mentioned last year that the striped mosquito down south had mutated and the male was also now carrying the disease.

[Payboy]

and other females sucking up your money.

i have no problem with that as long as they use the right equipment...

[sylviex]

MMS appears to be Miracle Mineral Solutions.

loveforlife DOT com . au / node / 4331

One testimonial from that site:

I got bit by a household mosquito that carried the dreaded Dengues Fever. I am an American citizen living in Panama City, Rep. of Panama.I was sick with high fever for over ten days. If I was bitten again, the doctor said I would go into hemorrhagic fever and bleed from all my orifices and die. That's pretty scary! I tried Miracle Mineral Supplement - MMS because I heard that it would kill malaria in only four hours and it would also take care of all microorganisms in the body -- including Dengue fever. Good news! I'm free and clear of all Dengue's bacteria now after just one month on the MMS mineral. My energy level is higher than ever and when I go the Parque Uraqua - an exercise public park in Panama, I run like a gazelle. That is pretty good for a 47 year old mother of three.

So it might help get the mopping miraculously done .

Edited August 4, 2008 by sylviex

[TAWP]

Isn't it true that only female mosquitos bites humans. Blood sucking bitches. Come to Thailand and you have females sucking your blood and other females sucking up your money.

I can t find the article but one mentioned last year that the striped mosquito down south had mutated and the male was also now carrying the disease.

Tell that to the bible thumpers around Nana, they will tell you that evolution (and mutation) doesn't exist (only ID does), and will promptly head south to prove you wrong...

[dougieboy]

One of the Thai blokes at work claimed that by drinking 'whiskey', one deters mosquito bites and reduces the risk of catching dengue fever. Is there any truth in his comments?

How about Maertini and lemonade?

[dougieboy]

Mosquito repellent which contains "DEET" is the most effective...look for it on the label. I usually bring a supply from the U.S. for my father in law...he swears by it.

I find the mozzies in UK are worse than Thai mozzies, 2 weeks to get rid of bump in UK and only 2 days in Thai, but 1 week in UK=1/2bites and 1 Week in Thai=200 bites lol greedy little buggers

[tracer]

Dengue outbreak hits Bangkok, 48 dead so far

BANGKOK: -- Dengue fever has spread across the country, killing 48 people and infecting more than 40,000 so far this year, Public Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant said yesterday.

<snip the rest>

-- The Nation 2008-08-01

Did anyone else notice a disconnect between the headline and the facts of the story?

The headline would seem to indicate that 48 people in Bangkok have died from dengue fever...the text of the story indicates otherwise.

Another case of good, responsible journalism on the the part of "The Nation".

Will recheck but I just noticed a few days ago the header is still (from Thai visa com) 48 dead....

I would have imagined a change in that...

[tracer]

Is it true that the most dangerous mozzies are the ones biting in daylight?

Note I am not an expert on mosquitos as I get rarely bitten but from what I heard over the last 20+ years in Thailand, its correct. They bite in the daytime and the back seems to be higher then the front. No idea if the other types look different.

A friend of mine almost got killed last year....

Certain daytime mozzies are Dengue carriers - night - time Malaria

Two main Dengue carriers - most Thai's have the antibodies for at leat one strain - 4 main strains with a lot of sub strains

Vaccine trials now in Thailand but they are slow - the US Military is a main lead but with other priorities they seem to take a long time to get going even with dedicated excellent professionals working on this

I didnt realise they had a vacine out. I know they had studies for it but UN decided seemingly there wasnt enough damage to make it worthwhile to do....

[tracer]

I caught dengue in Pattaya last year. I don't wish it upon anyone. After spending baht 9,000 at the local hospital on tests, tests, and more tests plus a few overpriced paracetamols and vit C it was confirmed that I had dengue. No real cure for it..keep hydrated, rested, and don't use Aspirin. It generally goes away after 2 weeks unless it turns into something more serious like the haemorrhagic version. My Doc said that he sees as many as 100 people a month with Dengue.

Funny thing is that I used to see some city trucks going around spraying killing the mossies. But I haven't seen them in the last year or two. Could it be a coincidence...no spraying=increase in Dengue cases!!!!

you goto Hospital to be tested for denge feever and they give you paracetamol??? kind of strange thing to give to people on tests as I thought its essentially aspirin.....

No spraying is likely to be avoiding making the mosquito's resistant...

[Tony Clifton]

I caught dengue in Pattaya last year. I don't wish it upon anyone. After spending baht 9,000 at the local hospital on tests, tests, and more tests plus a few overpriced paracetamols and vit C it was confirmed that I had dengue. No real cure for it..keep hydrated, rested, and don't use Aspirin. It generally goes away after 2 weeks unless it turns into something more serious like the haemorrhagic version. My Doc said that he sees as many as 100 people a month with Dengue.

Funny thing is that I used to see some city trucks going around spraying killing the mossies. But I haven't seen them in the last year or two. Could it be a coincidence...no spraying=increase in Dengue cases!!!!

you goto Hospital to be tested for denge feever and they give you paracetamol??? kind of strange thing to give to people on tests as I thought its essentially aspirin.....

No spraying is likely to be avoiding making the mosquito's resistant...

Although there may be another ingredient in their smoke machine's recipe, I doubt that, the smoke smells strongly of diesel, no such small insects being can resist it's toxic fumes in high concentrations in the sewers and no mosquito can emerge dry from the water's surface as their entire body and especially the wings are rendered useless and permanently wet with an oil deposit.

Even the cockroaches come out from everywhere only to end up with their legs up in the air minutes later, looks like a Thai police convention in their little brown uniforms.

Edited August 5, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[marshbags]

Certain daytime mozzies are Dengue carriers - night - time Malaria

Two main Dengue carriers - most Thai's have the antibodies for at leat one strain - 4 main strains with a lot of sub strains

Vaccine trials now in Thailand but they are slow - the US Military is a main lead but with other priorities they seem to take a long time to get going even with dedicated excellent professionals working on this

I didnt realise they had a vacine out. I know they had studies for it but UN decided seemingly there wasnt enough damage to make it worthwhile to do....

The above are part quotes only for reference.

I was one of the unfortunates who had the D.Fever recently and the doctor said there was no vaccine available for Dengue and wouldn,t be in the forseable future.

It seems there is also much confusion relating to this and Malaria.

Regarding the vaccine trials, there are several ongoing at the present time to try and find a cure for " Malaria "

The following is in todays BBC News email :-

Page last updated at 23:15 GMT, Monday, 4 August 2008 00:15 UK

Human malaria jab tests nearing

Malaria is a major killer

A type of malaria vaccine for humans is to be tested, following the success of trials undertaken with animals.

There is currently no vaccine for the illness, which kills between two and three million people every year.

Oxford University scientists, part of an international team, reported, in the journal Nature Medicine, that its virus-based jab worked well in mice.

Initial small-scale human safety trials of the vaccine are now expected to start next year.

Other researchers have been working towards an effective malaria vaccine, and some candidates are already in trials in humans in malaria-affected countries.

However, the Oxford scientists say theirs may be more effective against the "blood stage" of the illness, in which parasite numbers rise sharply in the bloodstream after bursting out of cells, causing severe illness, or death.

The scientists behind this vaccine believe that it can trigger a massive immune response against the parasite at this point.

The method involves two viruses, a common cold virus (adenovirus) and a pox virus, both of which have been engineered to be harmless in themselves, but to produce a protein on their surfaces which matches one found on the outside of the malaria parasite.

When an injection of the adenovirus was followed eight weeks later by the pox virus, the results in mice were clear-cut.

The vaccines produced two separate types of powerful immune response to these malaria "antigens", hopefully priming the immune system to respond aggressively when confronted by the malaria parasite later on.

In mice, it reduced the growth of the parasite by between 70% and 85%.

Easier to produce

Dr Simon Draper, from Oxford University, said: "In the end, the results were startling, and we could use these viruses to induce very high levels of antibodies for the first time."

He said that the viruses did not require any extra chemical to be given at the time of inoculation to boost their function, and were potentially easier to grow, and therefore cheaper to mass-produce.

These latest results, had allowed the team to secure extra funding from the Medical Research Council for next year's safety trials.

If these are successful, the vaccine's effectiveness will be tested, at first again on a small scale, then in a wider population, a process that could take some years.

Professor Alister Craig, from the Liverpool School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that a working vaccine remained some way off, but the immune response delivered in the mice was an "important step forward".

"It remains to be seen how 'generalised' this delivery system will be using other antigens and in humans but it is a significant addition to the field.

"The results of the phase one test will be of great interest to the community."

Unquote.

marshbags

Edited August 5, 2008 by marshbags