Infectious disease experts say dengue fever may be confused with influenza

He said a good patient prognosis depends on timely diagnosis and optimal clinical follow-up.

Peter Angel

Santo Domingo. – Elianet Castillo, an epidemiologist at the Center for Diabetes, Obesity and Specialty Medicine (CEMDOE), asks people to be alert to the symptoms of dengue fever as it can be confused with other viruses.

He explained that symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, general malaise, rash, joint pain and muscle pain.

“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.

He said 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 as it can also be confused with other infectious diseases that affect dengue. The gastrointestinal system, such as hepatitis, or inflammation of specific organs, such as the gallbladder (cholecystitis) and appendix (appendicitis).

He maintained that malaria, which is also transmitted by mosquitoes, is characterized by anemia and thrombocytopenia in patients.

He added that other common viral diseases that are also spread by mosquitoes, such as chikungunya and Zika, can cause fever.

“In general, they don’t cause as many hematological changes and generally don’t cause as much morbidity and mortality compared to dengue,” he said.

He explained that leptospirosis usually increases in incidence after heavy rains and floods and its symptoms are very similar to dengue fever.

He noted that as a bacterial disease, antibiotic treatment is needed to avoid progression to the end-stage stage known as Weil syndrome, which causes severe damage to the kidneys and liver and results in a 50 percent mortality rate.

“Given this, it is of the utmost importance to conduct a comprehensive medical evaluation and establish a local laboratory so that an accurate diagnosis can be made to expedite the appropriate treatment of the patient.”

He said a good patient prognosis depends on timely diagnosis and optimal clinical follow-up.