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===Febrile Phase===
===Febrile Phase===


The febrile phase of the disease is marked by an abrupt onset of high [[fever]] which usually lasts 2–7 days and is often accompanied by [[facial flushing]], [[erythema|skin erythema]], generalized body aches, [[myalgia]], [[arthralgia]], retro-orbital [[eye pain]], [[photophobia]], [[rubella|rubeliform]] [[exanthema]] and [[headache]].  
* The febrile phase is characterized by an abrupt onset of high [[fever]] which usually lasts 2–7 days, with a smaller peak at the trailing end of the fever (the so-called ''biphasic pattern''). Accompanying symptoms include [[facial flushing]], [[erythema|skin erythema]], generalized body aches, [[myalgia]], [[arthralgia]], retro-orbital [[eye pain]], [[photophobia]], [[rubella|rubeliform]] [[exanthem]] and [[headache]]. The joint aches can be so intense that this has given rise to the name ''[[breakbone fever]]'' or ''[[bonecrusher disease]]''. Some patients may have [[sore throat]], [[inflammation|injected]] [[pharynx]] or [[conjunctiva]], [[lymphadenopathy|swollen lymph nodes]], [[anorexia]], [[nausea]], or [[vomiting]].


Indeed, the joint pains can be so bad that this has given rise to the name ''[[break-bone fever]]'' or ''[[bonecrusher disease]]''. The dengue fever rash characteristically consists of bright red [[petechia]] and usually appears first on the lower limbs and the chest - in some patients, it spreads to cover most of the body. There may also be [[gastritis]] with some combination of associated abdominal pain, [[nausea]], [[vomiting]] or [[diarrhea]]. Patients with Dengue fever may also have a case of swollen [[lymph nodes]]. There can be nose and mouth bleeding, which is to be distinguished from Dengue hemorrhagic fever in which there is more severe bleeding such as gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.
* Mild hemorrhagic manifestations such as [[petechiae]] and [[mucosal]] membrane [[bleeding]] (e.g. of the [[nose]] and [[gums]]) may be seen. [[bruising|Easy bruising]] and [[bleeding]] at [[venipuncture|venipuncture sites]] is present in some cases. The petechiael rash usually appears first on the lower limbs and the chest and may spread to other parts of the body in some patients. Massive [[vaginal bleeding]] in women of childbearing age and [[gastrointestinal bleeding]] occur less commonly in this phase.<ref name="KalayanaroojVaughn1997">{{cite journal|last1=Kalayanarooj|first1=S.|last2=Vaughn|first2=D. W.|last3=Nimmannitya|first3=S.|last4=Green|first4=S.|last5=Suntayakorn|first5=S.|last6=Kunentrasai|first6=N.|last7=Viramitrachai|first7=W.|last8=Ratanachu‐eke|first8=S.|last9=Kiatpolpoj|first9=S.|last10=Innis|first10=B. L.|last11=Rothman|first11=A. L.|last12=Nisalak|first12=A.|last13=Ennis|first13=F. A.|title=Early Clinical and Laboratory Indicators of Acute Dengue Illness|journal=The Journal of Infectious Diseases|volume=176|issue=2|year=1997|pages=313–321|issn=0022-1899|doi=10.1086/514047}}</ref> A positive tourniquet test in the febrile phase indicates an increased probability of dengue.<ref name="KalayanaroojVaughn1997">{{cite journal|last1=Kalayanarooj|first1=S.|last2=Vaughn|first2=D. W.|last3=Nimmannitya|first3=S.|last4=Green|first4=S.|last5=Suntayakorn|first5=S.|last6=Kunentrasai|first6=N.|last7=Viramitrachai|first7=W.|last8=Ratanachu‐eke|first8=S.|last9=Kiatpolpoj|first9=S.|last10=Innis|first10=B. L.|last11=Rothman|first11=A. L.|last12=Nisalak|first12=A.|last13=Ennis|first13=F. A.|title=Early Clinical and Laboratory Indicators of Acute Dengue Illness|journal=The Journal of Infectious Diseases|volume=176|issue=2|year=1997|pages=313–321|issn=0022-1899|doi=10.1086/514047}}</ref><ref name="MayxayPhetsouvanh2011">{{cite journal|last1=Mayxay|first1=Mayfong|last2=Phetsouvanh|first2=Rattanaphone|last3=Moore|first3=Catrin E|last4=Chansamouth|first4=Vilada|last5=Vongsouvath|first5=Manivanh|last6=Sisouphone|first6=Syho|last7=Vongphachanh|first7=Pankham|last8=Thaojaikong|first8=Thaksinaporn|last9=Thongpaseuth|first9=Soulignasack|last10=Phongmany|first10=Simmaly|last11=Keolouangkhot|first11=Valy|last12=Strobel|first12=Michel|last13=Newton|first13=Paul N.|title=Predictive diagnostic value of the tourniquet test for the diagnosis of dengue infection in adults|journal=Tropical Medicine & International Health|volume=16|issue=1|year=2011|pages=127–133|issn=13602276|doi=10.1111/j.1365-3156.2010.02641.x}}</ref>


Some cases develop much milder symptoms which can, when no rash is present, be misdiagnosed as [[influenza]] or other viral infection. Thus travelers from tropical areas may inadvertently pass on dengue in their home countries, having not been properly diagnosed at the height of their illness. Patients with dengue can only pass on the infection through mosquitoes or blood products while they are still [[fever|febrile]].
* The earliest abnormality in the full blood count is a progressive decrease in [[white cell]] count, which should alert the physician to a high probability of dengue. The [[platelet]] count usually begins to drop when the temperature returns to normal.


The classic dengue fever lasts about six to seven days, with a smaller peak of fever at the trailing end of the fever (the so-called "biphasic pattern"). Clinically, the [[platelet]] count will drop until the patient's temperature is normal.
* When no rash is present, mild symptoms of dengue fever may be misdiagnosed as [[influenza]] or other [[virus|viral]] infection. Travelers from endemic areas may inadvertently pass on dengue in their home countries, having not been properly diagnosed at the height of their illness. Patients with dengue can only pass on the infection through [[mosquitoes]] or [[blood product]]s while they are still [[fever|febrile]].


===Critical Phase===
===Critical Phase===

Revision as of 16:45, 10 June 2014

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Alonso Alvarado, M.D. [2]

Overview

Dengue virus infection has a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomic infection, to symptoms of non-severe disease (such as flu-like symptoms, fever, retro-orbital headache, fatigue, arthralgia, myalgia, nausea, vomiting, or lymphadenopathy), and to severe complications including signs of plasma leakage (such as pleural effusion, hemoconcentration, or hypoproteinemia), hemorrhagic tendencies (such as petechiae, ecchymoses, purpura, easy bruising at venipuncture sites, mucosal bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, hematemesis. or melena), and organ failure associated with shock.

Adapted from Dengue haemorrhagic fever: diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control. © World Health Organization 1997 [1]

History and Symptoms

After an incubation period of 4–10 days, the illness begins abruptly and is followed by the three phases — febrile phase, critical phase, and recovery phase.[2]

Febrile Phase

  • The earliest abnormality in the full blood count is a progressive decrease in white cell count, which should alert the physician to a high probability of dengue. The platelet count usually begins to drop when the temperature returns to normal.
  • When no rash is present, mild symptoms of dengue fever may be misdiagnosed as influenza or other viral infection. Travelers from endemic areas may inadvertently pass on dengue in their home countries, having not been properly diagnosed at the height of their illness. Patients with dengue can only pass on the infection through mosquitoes or blood products while they are still febrile.

Critical Phase

During the critical phase of the disease, some patients develop hypotension, ascites, pleural effusions, and GI bleeding.

Recovery Phase

During the recovery phase, there can be altered mental status, seizures, itching and bradycardia.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

A small proportion of patients develop Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). In this scenario, they not only develop higher fever, but also hemorrhagic complications such as GI bleeding, and thrombocytopenia.

Dengue Shock Syndrome

A small proportion of patients can develop Dengue shock syndrome (DSS) which has a high mortality rate.

Referemces

  1. "Dengue haemorrhagic fever: diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control" (PDF).
  2. Thong, Meow-Keong (1998). "Dengue shock syndrome and acute respiratory distress syndrome". The Lancet. 352 (9141): 1712. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)61496-1. ISSN 0140-6736.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Kalayanarooj, S.; Vaughn, D. W.; Nimmannitya, S.; Green, S.; Suntayakorn, S.; Kunentrasai, N.; Viramitrachai, W.; Ratanachu‐eke, S.; Kiatpolpoj, S.; Innis, B. L.; Rothman, A. L.; Nisalak, A.; Ennis, F. A. (1997). "Early Clinical and Laboratory Indicators of Acute Dengue Illness". The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 176 (2): 313–321. doi:10.1086/514047. ISSN 0022-1899.
  4. Mayxay, Mayfong; Phetsouvanh, Rattanaphone; Moore, Catrin E; Chansamouth, Vilada; Vongsouvath, Manivanh; Sisouphone, Syho; Vongphachanh, Pankham; Thaojaikong, Thaksinaporn; Thongpaseuth, Soulignasack; Phongmany, Simmaly; Keolouangkhot, Valy; Strobel, Michel; Newton, Paul N. (2011). "Predictive diagnostic value of the tourniquet test for the diagnosis of dengue infection in adults". Tropical Medicine & International Health. 16 (1): 127–133. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2010.02641.x. ISSN 1360-2276.