Dengue symptoms can be confused with other viruses or with hepatitis and appendicitis.

CEMDOE experts explained that these symptoms are common to malaria and leptospirosis, as well as Zika and chikungunya viruses.

santo domingo– Elianet Castillo, an epidemiologist at the Center for Diabetes, Obesity and Specialty Medicine (CEMDOE), warns about the recent dengue epidemic that has affected several regions of the country and warns to be alert for the symptoms because It can be confused with other viruses.

He explained that it is important to know that symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, general malaise, rash, joint and muscle pain, among others. “These symptoms and signs may be confused with other diseases endemic locally in the country, such as malaria, chikungunya, Zika virus and leptospirosis,” he explained.

Experts say when a dengue patient presents with warning symptoms such as nausea, persistent vomiting and abdominal pain, it can be a challenge if a dengue diagnosis has not yet been made because it can also be confused with other infectious diseases. Affects the gastrointestinal system, such as hepatitis, or inflammation of specific organs, such as the gallbladder (cholecystitis) and appendix (appendicitis).

On the other hand, he maintained that malaria is also transmitted through mosquitoes and is characterized by anemia and thrombocytopenia in patients, while other common viral diseases in our country are also transmitted through mosquitoes, such as chikungunya and malaria. Zika virus symptoms include fever. In general, they do not cause as many hematological changes and generally do not cause as much morbidity and mortality than dengue fever.

Likewise, leptospirosis, which often increases in incidence after heavy rains and floods, can exhibit symptoms very similar to dengue fever and is a bacterial disease that needs to be treated with antibiotics to prevent progression to a condition known as Weil’s syndrome In the final stage, the kidneys and liver are severely damaged, and the mortality rate reaches 50%.

“Given this, it is crucial to conduct a comprehensive medical evaluation and establish local laboratories in order to make an accurate diagnosis and thereby expedite appropriate treatment of the patient. A good prognosis for dengue patients depends on timely diagnosis and optimal clinical follow-up. ” he pointed out.