Dengue fever is an infectious disease that occurs in a tropical and sub-tropical climate through bitten-infected mosquitoes affecting millions of people. However, one of the potentially severe complications of this disease is that it lowers platelet concentration in the blood. The mechanisms of blood clotting and blood thinning are relevant to an individual’s health and thus the actions of dengue fever on the reduction of platelet levels should be discussed alongside the resultant effects.
Understanding Dengue Fever
What is Dengue Fever?
Dengue fever involves the dengue virus that is conveyed by infected Aedes mosquitoes through their sting. This disease affects mainly the tropical/subtropical regions and ranges from mild flu-like illness to severe flux like the deadly ones.
Causes and Transmission
It is a vector-borne disease mainly spread by the use of infected mosquito lice to humans. When a given mosquito has fed on an infected human, it gets the dengue virus and so it becomes a separator and infects other people once it feeds on them.
Symptoms of Dengue Fever
Some of the symptoms of dengue include the following high fever, which is usually prolonged, headache, pains behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain as well as rash or short mild bleeding. All these symptoms are normally manifested 4-10 days after the individual has been bitten by an infected tine vector.
As gathered from the above information, it is demonstrative that platelets are an essential commodity in the body.
What are Platelets?
Platelets are also known as thrombocytes and are one of the smallest kinds of blood cells that play a role in the coagulation of the blood. He or she can carry millions of such cells to the site of an injury, classify them and in this manner stem the blood vessel and stop the bleeding process.
Functions of Platelets
Formation of clots to avoid bleeding instances in the body.
Wound healing
This is because the flexibility is extended to the action of maintaining the structural integrity of blood vessels.
Normal Platelet Count
The normal number of platelets ranges from 150 000 to 450 000 platelets assuming it is per Microliter of Blood. Consequently, counts below this range are considered low and lead to various other health-related issues.
Dengue and Platelet Count
As has already been mentioned, platelets are one of the most sensitive elements affected by the dengue virus, which is why it is also crucial to examine how this illness influences the platelet count.
Of course, one knows that dengue fever leads to a decrease in the count of platelets in our blood which is technically known as thrombocytopenia. This is so because while the body employs its immune system to get rid of platelets, the marrow does not manufacture sufficient platelets.
Dengue transmission in this study is how the patient experiences a decrease in platelet count.
The dengue virus directly affects bone marrow, the source of plates, and overloads the production of plate-producing items. Additionally, the virus dysfunctions the normal and newly produced platelets and motivates the immune system to destroy these platelets hence their reduced production.
Here’s why the measuring of platelet count is important.
Dengue fever is observed to avoid more aspects and the most regularly checked by doctors is platelet count. It also has to be pointed out that when the count of these particular cells is low, the tendency of the blood to clot will also be slower and therefore conditions like excessive bleeding and many others are likely to occur.
Symptoms That May be Indications of Low Platelets in Dengue
- General Symptoms
- Fatigue and weakness
- Lightheadedness
- Pale skin
- Severe Symptoms
- Severe bleeding
- Organ damage
- Shock
- Early Warning Signs
Recognizing Early Symptoms
Sometimes the initial symptoms of a low platelet count are not very obvious they include skin bruises and sluggish clotting of blood especially when there is an injury. This is vital in that it will facilitate early medical intervention hence improving the prognosis of the disease.
Importance of Early Detection
Thus in diagnosing LOW PLATELET COUNTS, if cases are detected at the right time and managed appropriately, the diseases that are related to it such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome can be averted.
There are many general symptoms of low platelet count present in your body.
Easy Bruising
Low platelet patients can normally develop bruises at sites that have not been touched lightly. They are mostly large and manifest with sudden itchiness without the owner of the affected skin knowing why this is so.
Prolonged Bleeding
This is simply because a case of low platelet count will take a long time for the blood of the persons in question to clot from an incidence of a cut or injury. This is because the clotting factor of blood is extremely low and even more precisely there is little platelet available to form the clot.
Petechiae
Petechiae is described to be red or purple and expresses a tiny pin-like rash on the skin due to the extravasation of blood. It is regarded as one of the early indications of low platelet count and at times, people can even have the clots present.
Mild and moderate symptoms are not very dangerous, but when the count of platelets is very low, some of the following symptoms may be observed: Mild and moderate symptoms are not very dangerous, but when the count of platelets is very low, the following symptoms may be observed:
Internal Bleeding
If the platelet count is extremely low, the individual experiences hemorrhage with symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting blood, and passage of stools with a black color.
The passage of dark red blood in the stools refers to;
The pink color in urine and stool is also a hazardous sign that shows a lot of internal bleeding and one must see the doctor immediately.
The presence of Dark Red Blood in the Stools
The occurrence of blood in both the urine and the stool is also quite dangerous since it is indicative of internal bleeding in large amounts, which requires a trip to the doctor.
Bleeding Gums and Nosebleeds
Other symptoms related to the low platelets are recurrent bleeds in the nostrils and when one is brushing the gums may also bleed due to the blood clots formation. These can be acute which is not related to any injury or trauma or chronic which are as a result of an injury.
It will therefore be of great importance to have a clue on some of the issues that connect low platelet count with patients suffering from dengue.
Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)
DHF is a more dangerous disease than dengue fever it is a result of higher viral load and characteristics of the illness include high fever, bleeding, and damaged vessels. It can lead to a fatal condition, namely a low level of platelets and bleeding.
Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS)
DSS can be regarded as severe and life-threatening because its onset is triggered by shock due to a considerable decrease in platelet count. Some of them are; acceleration of the rate of pulse, clammy skin, and low blood pressure.
Other Complications
Other complications include severe injury of the other internal body parts and tissues, the emergence of other infections, and many times more prolonged recovery time. These are some of the outcomes that one is likely to suffer in case proper medical assistance is not sought in time.
Dengue, Low Platelets Diagnosis
To this, a complainant’s medical history and physical examination may be appended.
To diagnose low platelets in dengue, medical enquiring, and general clinical examination should be carried out. The detection of bleeding and bruising tends to be conveyed by or through doctors to treat patients.
Blood tests and platelet count Hemaogram
The blood clotting ability of the patient is checked by determining the number of platelets in the blood and other factors. Generally, anything below 150,000 platelets per microliter is described as low.
Other Diagnostic Tests
Sometimes, the doctor may recommend other tests like LFTs, coagulation profiles, and imaging studies to determine the full extent of the disease and the internal damage.
Treatment and Management
Medical Interventions
In some cases, healthcare professionals may prescribe platelet transfusion, fluids, and other medicines for the patient. If the condition is severe it may warrant hospital admission.
Home Care Tips
Looking at specific recommendations concerning the individuals in question: They need rest and rehydration. To support a proper healing process, the patient is advised to: take a lot of water and other liquids, take sufficient food, and take no attempts that can lead to the worsening of the manifestations of the disease.
Importance of Hydration
This is true because retaining blood volume is wholesome for the body, and keeping oneself hydrated is even more beneficial. Oral rehydration is recommended avoiding beverages and foods that can cause further dizziness such as those that are caffeinated, alcoholic, or acidic.
Prevention of Dengue and Low Platelet
Preventing Mosquito Bites
It is safer to apply anti-mosquito sprays, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and sleep under insecticide-treated bed nets.
Community Measures
Public organ measures like sourcing and draining standing water, use of insecticides, and awareness creation among the public is very vital in controlling the dreaded mosquitoes.
Personal Precautions
Individual measures include applying insecticide on the skin or clothes, avoiding the accumulation of water, and staying out of places that are mostly frequented by the insects.
The evolution of modern sports and the new trends that are preferred by people require additional updates The guidelines laid above may help an athlete define when it is time to seek medical help:
Recognizing Emergency Symptoms
Warnings such as bleeding that is out of proportion, having trouble breathing, or even seeing signs that the person is in shock are some of the true medical emergencies that can never be waited for a doctor’s appointment.
Why Early Medical Help is Important
This means that when people with diseases go to hospitals early enough, they will be prescribed with better treatment since the disease has not gone to the next level. If you ever have such signs that your platelet count is low, do not hesitate to go to your doctor without delay.
Living with Dengue
Coping Strategies
Managing the disease is thus by managing the symptoms, following the doctor’s instructions, and following the general health lifestyle. Interpersonal backup is helpful.
Recovery and Aftercare
A person diagnosed with dengue fever can only be completely cleared after a few weeks. Some of the subsequent treatments are repetitional therapy, check on the platelet count and diet.
Long-term Health Considerations
They may also have other impairing side effects which may persist for a lifetime, one’s overall well-being and not getting any other type of infection.
Final Words
This is because prior knowledge of signs and symptoms of low platelets in dengue fever patients will go a long way in diagnosing the disease early and offering the required health care services. The effects of early signs are severe if treatment is not given at the initial stages of the ailment. From Danny’s case, the rough texture of society needs to be changed, government spending may be cut and the outbreak of this disease can be minimized to an extent by practicing preventive measures on dengue fever.