After being infected with the dengue virus through mosquito bites Aedes aegyptiDHF sufferers will not immediately show symptoms. DHF symptoms appear after some time which is called the DHF incubation period.
Based on data from the Indonesian Health Profile published by the Ministry of Health, there were around 6.5 million cases of dengue fever reported in 2018.
Dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever is a disease that still occurs in Indonesia. This disease can strike a person at any time, but this disease is much more common during the rainy season.
Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is caused by the dengue virus that enters the human body through the bite of a female mosquito Aedes aegypti. After being bitten by the mosquito, a person can experience some symptoms of dengue after the incubation period for the dengue virus is over.
What is the DHF incubation period?
The so-called DHF incubation period is the time span from when a mosquito bites and introduces the dengue virus into a person's body until the person experiences symptoms of DHF. During this incubation period, the dengue virus will multiply in the person's body.
There are many opinions about how long the incubation period for dengue fever is. Some say 4-10 days, some say 8-12 days. However, in general, the incubation period for DHF is around 4-7 days.
This means that a person can experience symptoms of DHF within 4 to 7 days (at least 12 days), after he is bitten by a mosquito Aedes aegypti.
Dengue Fever Symptoms
After the incubation period for DHF is complete, the body will begin to show early symptoms of DHF. The symptoms of dengue fever can be similar to a severe flu illness and last for 2-7 days. Some of the symptoms of dengue fever in question include:
- High fever up to about 40°Celsius.
- Severe headache.
- Pain at the back of the eye.
- Red spots appear on the skin.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Muscle and joint pain.
After 3-7 days since the first symptoms appear, the body will feel better. The fever will go down on its own with the body temperature being below 38°C. But actually this is a critical phase of DHF which can cause dangerous complications, namely bleeding.
After entering the critical phase, there are several symptoms of DHF that you should be aware of, namely:
- Severe stomach pain
- Vomiting constantly
- Hard to breathe
- Bleeding gums
- Nosebleed
- Vomiting blood
- Body feels tired or weak
If you experience these symptoms, immediately see a doctor for an examination. If you are diagnosed with DHF, the doctor will provide treatment to relieve symptoms and monitor your condition. For that, you may need treatment in a hospital.
DHF Prevention Steps
When many people around your residence or office are affected by dengue fever, you need to be alert. To reduce the risk of developing dengue fever, take the following steps to prevent dengue fever:
- Use mosquito repellent lotion to prevent mosquito bites.
- Spray insect repellent in the bedroom and other rooms in the house in the morning and evening.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants tucked into socks.
- Install mosquito nets to prevent mosquitoes from entering the house. Don't forget to close the doors and windows when you are outside.
- Use mosquito nets around the bed.
- Ask the local health worker to do fumigation or fogging.
In addition, 3M prevention steps are also important to prevent mosquitoes from nesting and laying eggs around the house. These steps are by burying or recycling garbage, closing all water reservoirs, and diligently draining and cleaning the bath at least once a week.
The incubation period for DHF is difficult to identify because it does not show any symptoms, so the patient does not realize that he or she has been infected with the virus that causes DHF. However, after the symptoms of DHF begin to appear, it is important to immediately see a doctor to get the right treatment.