Dengue Fever In Pattaya

[wilko]

How much Dengue fever is there about?

I've had 2 friends come down with it in the last month here in Pattaya. Neither has been out of the town; one a resident the other on a 2 week trip here is in hospital now with the virus.

This seems to be a very high incidence or maybe just an unfortunate coincidence?

I've also had a couple of friends who contracted it shortly after leaving Pattaya.

I myself had a mild fever for about 2 weeks a couple of months ago.

Are the authorities doing anything about it or are they reluctant to admit that it's here?

Edited February 16, 2005 by wilko

[george]

Thailand alerted of dengue outbreaks

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has been on high alert of outbreak of dengue with more cases reported in the country's south.

About 1,500 cases of dengue have been reported since the beginning of the year, mostly in the southern provinces, newspaper Nation on Wednesday quoted disease control official as saying.

The figure is 30 percent higher than reported cases over the same period of last year, said Kitti Pramattthol, chief of the Disease Control Department's dengue control section.

There has only been one death in Thailand so far.

Though the situation is not severe, the authorities thought the number was alarming, for the raining season is yet to come, when it is best season for the disease to spread.

The way of how dengue spreads is the other concern of authorities. The main factor in the outbreak's spread could be the disease's epidemiological circle.

"This year it is at the peak of its circle," said Kitti.

Public health authorities also suspected a foreign type of dengue virus, or Stereotype-4, probably spread from neighboring Malaysia, said the Nation report.

"We are gathering further information to confirm the hypothesis that the virus could have been carried in from Malaysia," Kitti said.

The doctor stressed that the tsunami had nothing to do with the dengue outbreak in the South.

In the worst tsunami-hit southern province of Pangnga, no case of dengue has been found, he said.

Hospitals now have been alerted about the situation so that they could screen patients, and disease control units and equipment have also been dispatched to deal with severe cases.

--Agencies/Xinhuanet 2005-02-16

[Jai Dee]

Public health authorities also suspected a foreign type of dengue virus...

Yeah... right

[wilko]

Can a blood test tell if one has had the infection?

[bartender100]

Can a blood test tell if one has had the infection?

Symptoms of typical uncomplicated dengue usually start with fever within 5 to 6 days after a person has been bitten by an infected mosquito.

High fever, up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit

Severe headache

Retro-orbital (behind the eye) pain

Severe joint and muscle pain

Nausea and vomiting

Rash

The rash may appear over most of the body 3 to 4 days after the fever begins. A second rash may appear later in the disease.

Interestingly, most children infected with dengue virus never develop typical symptoms.

HOW IS DENGUE FEVER DIAGNOSED?

A doctor or other health care worker can diagnose dengue fever by doing a blood test. The test can show whether the blood sample contains dengue virus or antibodies to the virus. In epidemics, dengue is often clinically diagnosed by typical signs and symptoms.

HOW IS DENGUE FEVER TREATED?

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, and most people recover completely within 2 weeks. To help with recovery, health care experts recommend

Getting plenty of bed rest.

Drinking lots of fluids.

Taking medicine to reduce fever.

CDC advises people with dengue fever not to take aspirin. Acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain-reducing medicines are safe for most people.

[Phil Conners]

1) There is no Dengue fever in Thailand, just as there is no Bird flu

2) If there is it's ###### foreign.

When is the authorities and Toxin going to realize nobody believe in their blatant lies anymore?

[Bonkers]

I have had Dengue before. It is the most excrutiatingly painful disease. You literally cannot move. The symptoms last for a week and the fever is almost continuous.

You should be very careful what drugs you take to ease the symptoms. I cannot remember if you avoid aspirin like the plague or avoid paracetamol. Be careful.

The second time round of infection is invariably fatal, so for those of who have had dengue or dengue hemorrhagic fever, take extra precautions.

wrap up well!

[Rinrada]

Dengue Fever

What is Dengue Fever?

Dengue Fever (DF) is a mosquito-borne disease affecting an estimated 50 million people each year. DF occurs in all tropical and some sub-tropical areas of the world, usually in an urban setting. Before 1970 only nine countries had experienced DF, by 1995 this had increased four fold. Today 2,5 billion people worldwide live in areas that are at risk of infection.

Humans contract the disease when bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito.

Mosquitoes remain infected all their lives and can in turn pass on infectivity to their eggs. In some parts of the world it has been seen that monkeys are also able to pass on the infection to mosquitoes. Endemic areas increase around the world due to trade (particularly tyre trade where mosquitoes breed in pools of water in tyres). After a bite from an infected Aedes mosquito, the virus circulates in the blood for 2-7 days, causing a feverish illness with headache and muscle pains similar to flu. Sometimes presents with a rash.

Who is at risk of Dengue Fever?

Any traveller to an endemic area; that is, an area where the disease is constantly present with low levels of infection. Endemicity is high in Central America, as well as in African countries such as Mauritania around to Nigeria, with patches around the Egypt and the Sudan border. In Asia DF is endemic in Pakistan, Southern China and through to the North West area of Australia.

http://www.travelhealth.co.uk/diseases/dengue.htm

[chuchok]

I have had Dengue before. It is the most excrutiatingly painful disease. You literally cannot move. The symptoms last for a week and the fever is almost continuous.

You should be very careful what drugs you take to ease the symptoms. I cannot remember if you avoid aspirin like the plague or avoid paracetamol. Be careful.

The second time round of infection is invariably fatal, so for those of who have had dengue or dengue hemorrhagic fever, take extra precautions.

  wrap up well!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Aspirin is the one to avoid with hemorrhigic dengue.Asprin thins the blood which is the last thing you would want.

[worldwalker]

Can a blood test tell if one has had the infection?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think so. I have a friend who got it, and he was diagnosed by a blood test after most of his symptoms had passed. He had it fairly bad - had him in his hotel room for 4 days, and exhaused for another week.

Note that most of all cases of Denge are asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic. I had it a couple years back. Had a high fever for about a day, which passed. Two days later the fever came back with a vengence, but again passed within a day. Next day I had a bit of a rash on my forearms. (I though I'd come down with ARS!) Overall, not so bad.

BTW we both got it in Pattaya around march (different years) before the 'season' is supposed to start.

Appearantly there are 4 main strains. You are immune to a particular strain after you catch it. The scary part is that if you catch a second stain, the symptoms are often much worse including hemmoraging and often involving hospitalization.

BTW. It's ASPRIN (a blood thinner) that you avoid, not paracetemol.

[_Echinochloa_]

Avoid Asprin.

[sonnyjc7]

Well of course it's foreign. There are no diseases in Thailand. Just the dis ease of de ceit.

Edited February 16, 2005 by sonnyjc7

[z21rhd]

Thailand alerted of dengue outbreaks

    BANGKOK: --  Thailand has been on high alert of outbreak of dengue with more cases reported in the country's south.

    About 1,500 cases of dengue have been reported since the beginning of the year, mostly in the southern provinces, newspaper Nation on Wednesday quoted disease control official as saying.

    The figure is 30 percent higher than reported cases over the same period of last year, said Kitti Pramattthol, chief of the Disease Control Department's dengue control section.

    There has only been one death in Thailand so far.

    Though the situation is not severe, the authorities thought the number was alarming, for the raining season is yet to come, when it is best season for the disease to spread.

    The way of how dengue spreads is the other concern of authorities. The main factor in the outbreak's spread could be the disease's epidemiological circle.

    "This year it is at the peak of its circle," said Kitti.

    Public health authorities also suspected a foreign type of dengue virus, or Stereotype-4, probably spread from neighboring Malaysia, said the Nation report.

    "We are gathering further information to confirm the hypothesis that the virus could have been carried in from Malaysia," Kitti said.

    The doctor stressed that the tsunami had nothing to do with the dengue outbreak in the South.

    In the worst tsunami-hit southern province of Pangnga, no case of dengue has been found, he said.

    Hospitals now have been alerted about the situation so that they could screen patients, and disease control units and equipment have also been dispatched to deal with severe cases.

--Agencies/Xinhuanet 2005-02-16

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A little more science :-

Dengue Fever is the fever associated with the infection of one of 4 serotypes of the Dengue virus carried by the mosquitos of the genus Aedes.

2 species of Aedes carry the virus in Thailand.

In the urban garden, a large proportion of Aedes egypti (75.65%) and Aedes albopictus (80.66%) had fed on human blood and a small fraction of both the species on avian blood.

The principal vector is A. egypti ( originally described in Egypt - also the main carrier of Yellow fever) Both feed outdoors in late afternoon.

The serotype now being encountered in Southern Thailand is serotype 3 (which is type most common type found last year in Indonesia- over 70,000 cases)

Phuket Province has recently seen an upsurge in cases.

Dengue infection is a life threaten disease - Children are at serious risk from

Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) ( Bleeding from all outlets, including gums,

tear ducts etc....)

The Diagnosis is determined in the average Thai hospital by clinical symptoms and by blood count (where the platelet count falls to a dangerous level)

Blood pressure is measured frequently during the course of the disease. Hypotension

shock may result in fatal outcome.

Saline and dextrose drips are given as a supportive .

Good nursing in hospital is the recommended treatment

Thailand's medical facilities and care for tropical diseases are regarded internationally as top class.

For information I append stats for Indonesia last year :

Dengue fever in Indonesia

In the first 4 months of last year from January 1 to April 30 , a total of 58,301 cases of dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and 658 deaths have been registered with the Indonesian Ministry of Health (see previous report ). The case-fatality rate of 1.1% is lower this year than in previous years.

Although all 30 provinces have been affected, outbreaks with unusually high numbers of cases have been reported from 293 cities and districts in 17 provinces of the country.

During the 1998 pandemic, in which more than 1.2 million cases of dengue fever and DHF were reported to WHO from 56 countries, Indonesia reported an annual number of 72,133 cases and 1414 deaths with overall case fatality rate of 2.0%. The outbreak in Indonesia this year appears to be of similar magnitude. As in 1998, Dengue 3 appears to be the predominant circulating virus serotype (37%) in Indonesia this year, but Den-4 (19%) Den-2 and Den-1 are also present.

At the end of April the situation has returned to normal with all provinces reporting cases at a low level. Jakarta, Bali and Nusa Tenggarah Timur, which were among the most affected provinces, are still being monitored closely.

Richard

TDVRC

[thaigene2]

When is the authorities and Toxin going to realize nobody believe in their blatant lies anymore?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why should they, or he, care? Seems to work like a charm. Maybe you weren't here a couple of weeks ago? Could have sworn 95% of Thais voted for Thaksin..Lies? What lies?

[chuchok]

If you think that dengue haemorrhagic is a walk in the park, then think again. I was told a story about a Chiang Mai residents then wife who needed 18 pints of blood as a transfusion.Without treatment for this deadly strain, I would say only death would be an option.

[kat]

I'm not sure, because I never went to the doctor, but I think I had dengue a couple of weeks back. Had all the symptoms, including a very mild rash. I am still fighting exhaustion, but not as bad.

Had me on my back for 4 full days, could not even move to get food (which I can usually do with the flu). I work in Prachinawet, out near the airport, and always eat lunch at an outside vendor's restaurant, which is usually swarming with mosquitos (and sometimes that all too familiar vague sewer smell).

Anyway, dengue was my first suspicion, but I forgot about it because it seemed highly unlikely. Then an article comes out, saying that dengue was on the rise, and I believe it mentioned Bangkok as well (before this article). But I can't remember if I hallucinated it or not.

Anwyay, I never went to the doctor, so I'm not sure. Just a hunch, as I said.

But look closely at some of the wording in this article:

" ... mostly in the southern provinces, newspaper Nation on Wednesday quoted disease control official as saying."

[dvk1951]

But look closely at some of the wording in this article:

" ... mostly in the southern provinces, newspaper Nation on Wednesday quoted disease control official as saying."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am currently in Malaysia and the above quote would coincide wit what has been going on in Malaysia. The average year sees 500+ cases/month reported but this year it has doubled to over 1000+ cases/month. The Malaysian govmt is on high alert and fining any principalities that do not make an effort to control breeding oportunities, ie.....free standing water.

I am quite sure that Toxin and crew will do the same by waiting for dry season.

[chatchy]

I had dengue a few years ago when I lived in Roi Et. There are 4 types and you never get the same type again.

Also, dengue has the nickname of 'break-bone fever'. If you have had dengue, you probably know why it has that nickname.

Mainly, rest is the treatment. Best to check into a hospital and be watched after until you recover.

Not a fun experience.

[thaitanic]

I had dengue fever about 5 years ago after mosquito bites in Borneo (Sarawak). The symptoms were very achy/painful buttocks to start with, then total exhaustion (too much too sit upright on a chair) and then a red blotchy rash. I was F***ED to put it mildly.

Went into hospital and got a test for red blood cells. Basically they were looking for a count of 100 per whatever red blood cells, cuz it kills those. If it gets as low as 40 or 20 (? can't remember exactly) then they admit you and give you a transfusion. If it's above that then you have to go back each day for a further test until your body recovers by itself and it's above 100. There is no real cure or treatment. Just rest, eat what you can, and drink shitloads of water.

If you get a second dose then it can be haemoragic (whatever that means) and you can die very quick, but if it's after 5 years then you might be OK. Fingers crossed!

I'm sure the above is total &lt;deleted&gt; from a doc's point of view, but that is my handle on the situation anyway.

[Mig15]

The virus is carried by a daytime biting mosquito so don't worry if you get bitten at night. Try to limit the number of times you get bitten in the day is the only way to protect yourself.

You can have it more than ones because there are different strains. If you get the same strain twice is the very dangerous thing.

[buadhai]

I got Dengue back in the late 70's when I was staying in Legian on Bali. It was certainly the worst illness I've ever had. The pain was excrutiating and I had a horrible high fever combined with severe chills. I spent a week wondering around seeing cold fruit drinks wearing Levi's and a down jacket. I'm sure people thought I was nuts.

Matter of fact, they still do!

[Canadianvisitor]

Nice things to look forward to,

I was wondering is there a vaccine for Den gay?

[george]

Govt steps up efforts to prevent dengue fever

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The Bangkok municipal authorities have launched a scheme to eliminate the mosquitoes’ larvae in the city to help control the spread of dengue fever, the Deputy Bangkok Governor, Dr. Pensri Pichaisanit, told TNA on Wednesday.

Existing methods to make the public aware of the dangers of mosquito-borne diseases are not sufficiently effective, she said.

The city’s 1,500 schools will be asked to cooperate in the new anti-dengue fever campaign.

The Bangkok authorities plan to establish a network of working groups to ensure that the leaders of residential communities and the municipal officials make the system work, Dr. Pensri added.

--TNA 2005-02-17

[Phil Conners]

Good for Bangkok. Hooray.

What will they do about Pattaya and the rest of Thailand. And when?

[kat]

Govt steps up efforts to prevent dengue fever

BANGKOK: --  Thailand has stepped up efforts to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

The Bangkok municipal authorities have launched a scheme to eliminate the mosquitoes’ larvae in the city to help control the spread of dengue fever, the Deputy Bangkok Governor, Dr. Pensri Pichaisanit, told TNA on Wednesday.

Existing methods to make the public aware of the dangers of mosquito-borne diseases are not sufficiently effective, she said.

The city’s 1,500 schools will be asked to cooperate in the new anti-dengue fever campaign.

The Bangkok authorities plan to establish a network of working groups to ensure that the leaders of residential communities and the municipal officials make the system work, Dr. Pensri added.

--TNA 2005-02-17

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just as I suspected. I think there definitely must be a chance of catching dengue in BKK if they are undertaking these efforts and we are only now hearing about it.

Edited February 17, 2005 by kat

[george]

Significant increase in dengue fever cases

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s public health officials have urged Thais to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes after reports revealed that the number of patients suffering from dengue fever had increased by more than 50 since the end of January, compared to last year's cases.

There were more than 1,500 cases of dengue fever across the country during the week from 30 January-5 February, including one patient who died, according to the government’s latest health statistics.

This is more than double the cases in the same period last year.

More than 200 of these cases were each in Bangkok and the Northeast, while nearly 700 cases were in the central areas, followed by more than 400 cases in the southern region and nearly 200 cases in the northern region, according to Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan.

Most of the dengue fever cases were found in big cities or communities with a high population density.

Public health officials have urged local residents to destroy all mosquito breeding places in their neighbourhoods and take precautions against catching the disease.

The Public Health Ministry and the Bangkok municipal authorities have jointly launched a campaign to make Bangkok residents aware of the dangers of mosquito-borne diseases.

Patients suffering from dengue fever develop high fever, vomiting, headaches and blood spots on their skin.

Any patient with a high fever for more than five days may have contracted the disease and should seek medical attention, the Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Dr.Vichai Tienthavorn, advised.

--TNA 2005-02-18

[chuchok]

Good for Bangkok. Hooray.

What will they do about Pattaya and the rest of Thailand. And when?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They spray around the suburbs of Chiang Mai every month.

[bendejo]

A friend was in the hospital in Bangkok with dengue haemorrhagic, real evil shit.

We know he caught in Bangkok because he hadn't been out of town in months.

FYI, he's a Japanese fellow, lives and works in the Japanese section around Sukhumvit 30.

[bendejo]

[...]

Public health officials have urged local residents to destroy all mosquito breeding places in their neighbourhoods and take precautions against catching the disease.

[...]

Like those tubs of water most Thai households keep in their toilets and kitchens? For years I've been referring to them as 'mosquito farms.'

Edited February 19, 2005 by bendejo

[slimdog]

I can confirm they are trying to do something in Bangkok, as last week we had people come into the estate handing out satchets of mosquito killer to all the households.

Just try and keep standing water to a minimum