Dengue fever cases are up among most countries in Southeast Asia during the first months of 2019 compared to last year. Here is a look at three of the countries:

The Philippines

Image/CDC

More than 3100 dengue fever cases were reported during the week ending April 6, bringing the total cases to 59,139 year-to-date. 237 dengue related fatalities have been reported.

This compares to 32,611 cases with 175 deaths reported during the same period last year.

Vietnam

Nationally, a total of 52,482 cases with three deaths were reported as of 14 April 2019. Compared to the same period in 2018 when 15,505 cases with three deaths were reported, the cumulative number of cases
increased by 3.4 times.

Malaysia

Malaysia has reported 43,276 dengue cases and 67 deaths through April 28. More than 25,000 cases are reported in Selangor state alone.

The national total is higher compared to 16,971 cases with 36 deaths reported during the same period in 2018.

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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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