The number of dengue fever cases reported in Vietnam were up in 2016, according to General Department of Preventative Medicine, Ministry of Health data for last year.

Aedes aegypti Image/CDC
Aedes aegypti
Image/CDC

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2016, there were 122,020 cases of dengue including 43 deaths reported in Vietnam. Compared to same period in 2015, cumulative number of cases increased by 25.2%, and there were 18 fewer deaths.

Compared to the median in 2011-2015 period, cumulative number of cases increased by 73.6%.

Concerning another virus transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, Zika virus, the Ministry of Health reported a total of 219 Zika infection cases in 2016. With the additional 13 new cases in 2017, that brings the total Zika cases nationwide since 2016 to 232.

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. There are four closely related but antigenically different serotypes of the virus that can cause dengue (DEN1, DEN 2, DEN 3, DEN 4).

  • Dengue Fever (DF) – marked by an onset of sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and pain in muscles and joints. Some may also have a rash and varying degree of bleeding from various parts of the body (including nose, mouth and gums or skin bruising).Dengue has a wide spectrum of infection outcome (asymptomatic to symptomatic). Symptomatic illness can vary from dengue fever (DF) to the more serious dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).
  • Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) – is a more severe form, seen only in a small proportion of those infected. DHF is a stereotypic illness characterized by 3 phases; febrile phase with high continuous fever usually lasting for less than 7 days; critical phase (plasma leaking) lasting 1-2 days usually apparent when fever comes down, leading to shock if not detected and treated early; convalescence phase lasting 2-5 days with improvement of appetite, bradycardia (slow heart rate), convalescent rash (white patches in red background), often accompanied by generalized itching (more intense in palms and soles), and diuresis (increase urine output).
  • Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) — Shock syndrome is a dangerous complication of dengue infection and is associated with high mortality. Severe dengue occurs as a result of secondary infection with a different virus serotype. Increased vascular permeability, together with myocardial dysfunction and dehydration, contribute to the development of shock, with resultant multiorgan failure.

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