Dengue Fever Treatment in Delhi, India

Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne disease transmitted to humans through an infected mosquito's bite. In the tropics and sub-tropics, dengue is a leading cause of illness. About 100-400 million dengue cases are reported globally every year.

At BLK Max Super Speciality Hospital, our Department of Internal Medicine provides comprehensive diagnosis, monitoring, and evidence-based treatment for dengue fever, including mild, moderate, and severe forms such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).

Causes of Dengue Fever

• Vector: Dengue fever is a viral infection that spreads to humans through the bite of a female mosquito, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
• Viral Agent: Dengue virus belongs to the flaviviridae family and genus Flavivirus, and there are four closely related viruses that cause dengue (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4). For this reason, you can be infected with dengue as many as four times in your lifetime. You may be immune to a specific dengue virus but not the other three virus types.
• Transmission: The mosquito picks up the virus while biting a person with dengue. Later, when this infected mosquito bites other individuals, the dengue virus enters their bloodstream, resulting in infection.
• Environmental Factors: Warm temperatures, stagnant water, and urban overcrowding facilitate mosquito breeding, contributing to increased transmission rates in Delhi.

Signs and Symptoms of Dengue Fever

The onset of symptoms is usually observed after 4-10 days of infection. However, 80% of dengue cases are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms. Dengue symptoms will depend on the severity of the condition.

Mild Symptoms of Dengue Fever

• Sudden onset of high-grade fever (up to 104°F or 40°C)
• Headache and retro-orbital (behind the eyes) pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Rashes on the skin appearing 2–5 days after fever onset
• Fatigue and general weakness
• Mild bleeding (nose, gums) or easy bruising
• Aching muscles and joints (“breakbone fever”)

Most people recover within 2-7 days after the onset of symptoms. However, sometimes, symptoms worsen and become life-threatening.

Warning Signs of Severe Dengue

Although less common, some individuals develop severe dengue, which accounts for about 5% of dengue cases globally. Symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Persistent vomiting or severe stomach pain
• Difficulty in breathing
• Rapid fluctuation in body temperatures
• Nose or gum bleeding
• Blood in stool, urine, or vomiting
• Restlessness or irritability
• Cold, clammy skin (indicative of shock)
• Restlessness or lethargy

Dengue fever becomes severe when the blood clotting cells (platelets) drop in the bloodstream. This can lead to internal bleeding, plasma leakage, or organ failure. Without proper medical attention, severe dengue has a higher risk of death.

Dengue Fever Diagnosis in Delhi

The symptoms of dengue are much similar to other infections, such as influenza and malaria. So, for a proper diagnosis of dengue fever, combination of clinical evaluation and advanced laboratory testing includes the following:

• Examining the symptoms
• Checking travel and medical history
• Performing blood test

Doctors perform the following tests to confirm whether the person is suffering from dengue fever:

• Complete Blood Count (CBC): Monitors platelet count, hematocrit, and white blood cell levels.
• NS1 Antigen Test: Detects the dengue virus early (within 1–5 days of infection).
• RT-PCR Test: Identifies the viral RNA and confirms the specific serotype.
• IgM and IgG Antibody Tests: Used to confirm recent or past infections.
• Liver Function Tests (LFTs): Assess liver involvement in dengue cases.

The hospital’s 24x7 diagnostic laboratory ensures rapid turnaround of results to aid timely treatment decisions.

Dengue Fever Treatment in Delhi

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever. Rather, managing the symptoms is the only solution.

Managing Mild Cases

For patients with mild symptoms, treatment includes:

• Liberal oral fluids such as water, electrolyte solutions, and soups to stay well hydrated
• Using antipyretic paracetamol to bring down fever & reduce body pains
• Monitoring of platelet counts and warning signs.
• Using non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin can increase the risk of internal bleeding, so it is best to avoid these drugs.

Managing Moderate to Severe Cases

In some severe cases, hospitalization is necessary, where patients are treated depending upon the severity of symptoms:

• Intravenous (IV) Fluid Therapy: To prevent dehydration and manage plasma leakage.
• Platelet transfusion: Performed when platelet count (thrombocytopenia) drops (less than 10000/cmm) or bleeding manifests.
• Oxygen Support: For patients with respiratory distress or shock symptoms.
• Intensive Care Management: For patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome.

Some clinical case reports have been reported to show that papaya leaf extract is an effective treatment for dengue fever, but there are no designed randomised controlled studies to prove it. Timely treatment of severe dengue cases can reduce the risk of death to 1%.

Post-Dengue Recovery and Follow-Up Care

After the fever subsides, fatigue may persist for 1–2 weeks. Patients are monitored for post-infectious weakness, nutritional deficiencies, and recovery of platelet count. Follow-up assessments help ensure complete recovery and prevent recurrence of complications.

Why Choose BLK Max Hospital for Dengue Treatment in Delhi?

• Experienced internal medicine specialists and infectious disease experts.
• 24x7 emergency and critical care units equipped for severe dengue management.
• Advanced diagnostic facilities, including NS1 and RT-PCR testing.
• Dedicated nursing and monitoring teams for continuous patient observation.
• Multidisciplinary coordination between physicians, hematologists, and intensivists.
• Comprehensive infection control and vector prevention protocols within hospital premises.

Risks Factors of Dengue Fever

The risk of contracting dengue fever is high due to a few reasons that include:

• History of dengue fever: Prior infection may increase your symptoms, if you get infected again.
• Living in or travelling to tropical regions: Travelling to or living around tropical and sub-tropical areas increases the risk of contracting dengue fever. This is more common in areas of northeast Asia, the Pacific islands, Australia, Latin America, and Africa.

Dengue Fever Complications

In persons suffering from dengue fever, blood pressure drops drastically, leading to shock. Sometimes, severe dengue can cause plasma leakage, internal bleeding, organ failure, and even death.

Pregnant women suffering from dengue fever can transmit the infection to the newborn during childbirth. Moreover, babies born to pregnant women with dengue fever have higher chances of low birth weight or pre-term birth.

Dengue Fever Prevention

The main approach to prevent or control the transmission of dengue fever is to tackle the mosquito vectors in the following ways:

Individual-Level Prevention:

• Wearing clothes covering whole body during the day
• Using mosquito repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus oil.
• Using mosquito nets while sleeping, especially for children.
• Avoiding going out in the early morning and evening
• Ensure window and door screens are intact to prevent mosquito entry.

Environmental Prevention:

• Removing stagnant water surrounding the home, flower pots, containers, and discarded tires.
• Trying to avoid camping near still water
• Clean water storage tanks weekly.
• Dispose of waste properly to avoid mosquito breeding sites.
• Participate in community vector control programs, particularly during monsoon months.

Mosquitoes that bite the infected person can spread the infection to other people around them. So, be vigilant and take preventive measures to avoid transmission.

Vaccination for Dengue Fever

In USA, dengue vaccine known as Dengvaxia is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for individuals aged between 9 and 16 with a history of previous dengue infection. However, for people with no history of dengue, administering the vaccine appears to increase the symptoms of dengue fever, which may lead to hospitalization. Therefore no licensed vaccine is as yet available to prevent individuals from contracting dengue in India.

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