AN INTRODUCTION

1
About Dengue
Brand champions workshopAugust 27, 2004
15 September 2005
Source Raffles Medical Group
2

• What is Dengue?
• Dengue is an acute febrile viral disease
  characterized by sudden onset, fever of 3-5 days,
  intense headache, myalgia, anthralgic
  retro-orbital pain, anorexia, GI disturbances and
  rash.
• Dengue viruses are flaviviruses and include four
  serotypes 1,2,3 and 4 (Dengue -1,-2,-3 and -4).
• The viruses are transmitted to man by the bite of
  infective mosquitoes, mainly Aedes aegypti. The
  incubation period is 4-7 days (range 3-14 days).

3

• The pest responsible for it
• The Aedes Aegypti mosquito
• A medium sized blackish mosquito easily
  recognized by a silvery white lyre shaped
  pattern of scales on its scutum. Segments 1 to 4
  of the hind tarsi possess broad basal white
  rings, segment 5 is white. The coloration of both
  sexes is similar.
• The female mosquito lays 30150 eggs every 2-3
  day. Human blood is needed to nourish these eggs.

4

• Aedes Aegypti breeding habits
• The eggs are deposited on damp surfaces within
  artificial containers such as cans, jars, urns or
  rain-water containers.
• Old automobile tires provide an excellent larval
  habitat and an adult resting site.
• In tropical climates, larvae are also encountered
  in natural water retaining cavities in tree holes
  and herbaceous plants.

5

• Aedes Aegypti breeding habits
• The eggs of Ae. Aegypti can resist desiccation
  for up to 1 year.
• Eggs hatch when flooded by water that is
  deoxygenated.
• Larvae die at temperatures below 10 degrees and
  above 44 degrees Celsius.

6

• Aedes Aegypti feeding habits
• The yellow fever mosquito is a domestic species
  found not far from human dwellings.
• This species is particularly abundant in towns
  and cities.
• It is an early morning or afternoon feeder, but
  females will take a blood meal at night under
  artificial illumination.
• Human blood is preferred over other animals with
  the ankle area as a favored feeding site.

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• Aedes Aegypti feeding habits
• Adults frequently reside in dwellings in darkly
  lighted closets, cabinets, or cupboards.
• Ae. Aegypti is reported to fly only a few hundred
  yards from breeding sites.

8

• Dengue Fever Statistics
• Over 7000 dengue fever cases have been reported
  to date this year. With over 400 cases in just
  past week. For January to August 2004, there were
  only 4000 reported cases

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• Local Situation
• Over 7000 reported cases this year to date
• Over 400 reported cases in the past week
• 1st 8 months of 2004, only 4000 reported cases
• Warmer weather facilitated increased incidence in
  infections

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• Local Situation
• Aedes mosquito (carrier/vector) and the dengue
  virus thrive in warmer weather
• Female Aedes mosquito matures faster
• Aedes mosquitoes are identified by the black and
  white stripes on their body

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• How It Spreads
• Transmitted to humans by the bite of infected
  Aedes mosquitoes
• Mosquitoes are infected when they take a blood
  meal from a dengue-infected person
• Cannot spread from human to human
• Spreads only through the bite of an infected
  mosquito

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• How Fast Does It Happen
• Incubation period (time between the bite
  symptoms appearing) ranges from between 3 and 14
  days
• Dengue haemorrhagic fever is a more severe form
  of dengue and can be fatal if unrecognized or not
  treated

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• The Symptoms
• Fever (which lasts up to 7 days)
• Accompanied by headache, body aches, joint pains,
  loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and the
  development of skin rashes
• Blood test will often show low platelets

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• The Symptoms
• Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever presents similar
  symptoms to Dengue Fever
• But has more severe bleeding problems like gum
  bleeding, nose bleeding and bleeding into the
  skin and internal organs

15

• Diagnosis
• In the presence of suggestive symptoms, Dengue
  Fever can be diagnosed with blood tests
• If you are worried/suspect that you are having
  Dengue Fever, consult your Family GP immediately
• Take special precaution if you work or live in
  the hot spots

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• Can I Be Cured?
• There is no specific treatment for Dengue or
  Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever
• Antibiotics cannot treat Dengue Fever
• Dengue patients need supportive care with fluids,
  medications and regular blood tests to monitor
  for complications

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• Can I Be Cured?
• Dengue infection can become dangerous since it
  may cause damage to the blood vessels.
• In severe cases, hospitalization, intravenous
  fluids and transfusions will be required
• Death may occur in a small minority of persons
  especially if the complications are not
  recognized or early intervention instituted

18

• Can a person get dengue more than once?
• It is possible to get dengue more than once.
• Dengue can occur because of 4 different but
  related strains of dengue virus.
• If a person has suffered form one virus, there
  can be a repeat occurrence of dengue if a
  different strain is involved subsequently. Being
  affected by one strain offers no protection
  against the others.

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• Can people suffer from Dengue and not appear
  ill?
• Yes. There are many people who are infected with
  the virus and do not suffer from any signs or
  symptoms of the disease.
• For every patient with symptoms and signs there
  may be 4-5 persons with no symptoms or with very
  mild symptoms.

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• How long does it take to recover from Dengue?
• Most people who suffer from dengue fever recover
  in 1-2 weeks time.
• Some may feel tired for several weeks. However,
  if symptoms persist after this period, consult a
  doctor.

21

• Precautions
• Wear long-sleeve clothes
• Use mosquito coils, electric vapour mats and
  insect repellent over the exposed parts of the
  body
• Frequent changing of water in flower vases and
  plant pot plates. Scrub the vase and plate
  thoroughly to remove mosquito eggs which look
  like very fine black specks of dust

22

• Precautions
• Turn pails and watering cans over and store them
  under shelter
• Place/store all articles that can collect
  rainwater under shelter at all times
• Refrain from block the flow of water in scupper
  drains along common corridors in HDB estates

23

• Precautions
• Dont place potted plants and other paraphernalia
  over the drains
• Clear blockages and silt from the roof gutter,
  clearing leaves and stagnant water from drains
• Containers used for weeding, watering cans, pots
  and other items should be kept overturned, dry
  and properly stored

24

• Precautions
• While away..
• Seal off all gully and floor traps
• Add sand granular insecticide to stagnant water
  in plant bowls
• Cover toilet bowls properly

25

• What is sand granular?
• Vactor 1 SG
• A ready-to-use larvicide
• Kills larvae before they can turn into Aedes
  mosquitoes
• Sand granules incorporated with temephos
• Slowly releases when applied into water

26

• How to use Vactor 1 SG
• Use as spot treatment
• Simply drop some into the water
• For wet land area, lake, pond, water containers,
  water tanks, water jars, empty tyres, drainage
  and other mosquito breeding grounds

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• Where to get Vactor 1 SG
• Available in many NTUC outlets
• Sembawang MRT station
• Simei Street 3
• HDB Centre (Jln Bt Merah)
• Bukit Merah Central
• Bedok North Street 1
• Bishan Street 13
• Hougang Mall
• Hougang Point

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• Where to get Vactor 1 SG
• Available in many NTUC outlets
• Junction 8 shopping centre
• Blk 71 Kallang Bahru
• Rivervale Mall
• Sun Plaza
• Tampines Mall
• Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
• Thomson Plaza
• Boon Lay Shopping Complex

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• Where to get Vactor 1 SG
• Available in many NTUC outlets
• Clementi Avenue 3
• Hougang Street 21
• Jurong East Street 13
• Jurong Point
• Blk 849 Yishun Ring Road
• Lot 1 Shoppers Mall
• Singapore Post Centre (Eunos)
• Blk 34A Margaret Drive

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• Where to get Vactor 1 SG
• Available in many NTUC outlets
• Shaw Plaza
• Toa Payoh Lorong 4
• Whitesands
• Blk 50 Havelock Road
• Block 1 Rochor Road
• 9 Portchester Avenue
• Blk 888 Woodlands Drive 50
• Blk 63/66 Yung Kwang Road

31

• Where to get Vactor 1 SG
• Available in many NTUC outlets
• Yew Tee MRT station
• Also available in Far East Floral
• Hougang Floral Centre
• Queenstown
• Thomson Road
• Ang Mo Kio Floral Landscape
• Bedok Garden Landscape

32

• Where to get Vactor 1 SG
• Pioneer Landscape (Choa Chu Kang Jalan Lekar)
• Nyee Phoe Flower Garden (Neo Tiew Crescent)
• Goodwood Florist Thomson Road
• Island Landscape Thomson Road

33
Kill Larvae.. Before it becomes the Aedes
Mosquito
Brand champions workshopAugust 27, 2004
Better to be safe than sorry
Source Raffles Medical Group