Dengue Fever

[OSUcowboyinSPFD]

Well, the Doctors have no clue. According to my paralegal's husband, a different Doctor comes in every few hours and asks a bunch of questions, scratches his or her head, and says they will run more labs. She has pneumonia, a fever, and her kidneys were shutting down. They have her on oxygen, but her sed rate is getting to a normal level. She left Cozumel four days before her symptoms began to appear. That is all they know at this time. She was bit by a mosquito (or more) while she was there.

That is the extent of the story at this time.

 

[DandyDon]

Do hope for the best for her. Sounds so odd.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

I was hit with dengue in march of this year after a week in bonaire . I got four bites all week , did not get sick until 4-5 days after I got home . Was very ill for a month and a little more than another month for full recovery .
I started to think I would never fully recover . Headache from hell and totally weak.
The problem is there are four strains , I may be immune to the strain that hit me but the other three are potential for hemorrhagic dengue . No dive on this planet is worth that to me .
I do not foresee anymore tropical trips until a safe vaccine is presented.

 

[mstevens]

No dive on this planet is worth that to me .
I do not foresee anymore tropical trips until a safe vaccine is presented.

You do know you can get dengue right at home in the US, right?

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

Only Florida and small parts of Texas. The a.e. mosquito likes tropical conditions . Basically 1000 miles each side of the equator. A long long way from me.

 

[Spratman]

I sure hopes the doctors get a handle on this. I got hit two years ago. I was sick for a couple of months, but nothing like you are describing. As MStevens said, there is no treatment for Dengue. Seems like something else is wrong. Like a very bad case of pneumonia or bronchitis.

I pray that she has a speedy recovery.

 

[rmc77]

I guess the doctors have already looked this, but there is Dengue Fever and Hemorrhagic Dengue (or DHF), which makes the normal dengue looks like a simple cold. Was she tested for DHF?

As for vaccines, dengue is caused by a virus (actually, four)... so, don't expect one soon.

 

[OSUcowboyinSPFD]

I guess the doctors have already looked this, but there is Dengue Fever and Hemorrhagic Dengue (or DHF), which makes the normal dengue looks like a simple cold. Was she tested for DHF?

As for vaccines, dengue is caused by a virus (actually, four)... so, don't expect one soon.

Sorry, should have updated everyone. She was finally diagnosed with dengue and strep phenmonia at the same time. Both are bad, but together they are really bad. She is back at work. She has quit smoking and lost 30 pounds, so there is a silver lining.

 

[DandyDon]

I was hit with dengue in march of this year after a week in bonaire . I got four bites all week , did not get sick until 4-5 days after I got home . Was very ill for a month and a little more than another month for full recovery .
I started to think I would never fully recover . Headache from hell and totally weak.
The problem is there are four strains , I may be immune to the strain that hit me but the other three are potential for hemorrhagic dengue . No dive on this planet is worth that to me .
I do not foresee anymore tropical trips until a safe vaccine is presented.

Hey, got to keep it fun, whatever. Good luck...!

Sorry, should have updated everyone. She was finally diagnosed with dengue and strep phenmonia at the same time. Both are bad, but together they are really bad. She is back at work. She has quit smoking and lost 30 pounds, so there is a silver lining.

Glad to hear she's better...!!

 

[mstevens]

Only Florida and small parts of Texas.

Sure, but that is in the US. Millions of people live in and travel through the historical endemic areas where the Aedes aegypti ("a.a.", if you will. The "Ae" is an abbreviation sometimes used for "Aedes.") and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are prevalent. It's also worth keeping in mind that in the past the entire Gulf coast and Hawaii have undergone epidemics, not "just" south Florida and bits of the Texas Gulf coast.

I infer from your username that you're a fan of cold-water diving, but most places with year-round warm-water diving carry at least some risk of Dengue Fever. Which sucks.