Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)
Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a specific syndrome that tends to affect children under the age of 10.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are characterised by:
- Circulatory collapse (shock)
The other names of Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are: Philippine, Thai, or Southeast Asian haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome (DSS).
The onset of Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is abrupt and it begins with high continuous fever and headache.
The other respiratory and intestinal symptoms are:
- Shock occurs after two to six days from the start of the symptoms with sudden collapse
- Cool, clammy extremities (the trunk is often warm)
- Blueness around the mouth (circumoral cyanosis)
- Bleeding with easy bruising
- Blood spots in the skin (petechiae)
- Spitting up blood (hematemesis)
- Blood in the stool (melena)
Pneumonia is also common during Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) . At times inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) may also be present.
Patients suffering from Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) should be kept under constant medical supervision as the shock may occur or recur precipitously during the first few days. Patients with cyanotic (bluish) are given oxygen. Patients with vascular collapse (shock) require immediate fluid replacement. Blood transfusions may also become necessary in order to control bleeding.
As said before, the mortality, or death rate, with Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) ranges from 3% to 50%. Infants under the age of one year are especially at risk of dying from Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).
Related articles:
Dengu Fever (DF)
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: July 19. 2011