To prevent and treat dengue fever, correct concepts are essential

To prevent and treat dengue fever, correct concepts are indispensable. The dengue fever epidemic is still tense recently, and anti-mosquito products have become a must-have for the public. However, there are many types of anti-mosquito products on the market, and there are even many DIY products. How to use them? Which choice can achieve the strongest effect and best protection? In addition, dengue fever rapid screening has been included in public funds, and 4 dengue fever response hospitals have been established. If someone gets sick, how should they be treated and cared for? These all need to be known and understood. There is a big difference between "anti-mosquito" and "killing mosquitoes"

The Taiwan Dermatology Association explains that you must first understand that "anti-mosquito" is different from "killing mosquitoes". "Anti-mosquito" is to reduce the contact of mosquitoes with the skin. opportunity, and "kill mosquitoes" has the function of killing mosquitoes. The former mainly uses some physical or chemical methods to create a repellent effect on mosquitoes; while the latter mainly uses substances that can destroy the stability of mosquito nerve cell membranes, paralyzing their nerves and causing death. Some anti-mosquito substances can be used on the skin with permission from health authorities. However, mosquito-killing substances are mainly used as environmental chemicals or pesticides and are not recommended for contact with the skin.

There are two ways to effectively "prevent mosquitoes": physical shielding and chemical repellent.

◎Physical shielding: For example, avoid going out in the morning after dusk; wear light-colored long sleeves, jackets and trousers when going out, and it is best to wear cuffs on tops and bottoms with cuffs ; When dressing, tuck your top into your pants and wear light-colored socks under your pants to prevent mosquitoes from getting in and biting you; use screen doors and window screens for doors and windows at home, and use mosquito nets when sleeping... etc.

◎Chemical repellent: Apply or spray mosquito repellent liquid (lotion or spray) with chemical repellent ability on the skin *** to enhance the mosquito repellent effect. Must-know "anti-mosquito products"

The Taiwan Dermatology Association points out that anti-mosquito products currently on the market that can be used on human skin are mainly divided into "products with drug licenses containing DEET" and "products without Drug license for products containing plant essential oils and vegetable oils."

The former mainly contains DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide/Diethyl-meta-toluamide/Diethyl-meta-toluamide), which is classified as a drug and is subject to pre-marketing Subject to review and licensing. This ingredient can affect mosquitoes' sense of smell, thereby reducing the chance of them biting the skin. Applying more than 10% of the agent to the skin can usually protect the skin for 2 hours; more than 20% can protect for 4 hours; a concentration of 30 to 50% can protect for 6 to 8 hours. It is recommended that this type of product should be given priority if you need to stay outdoors for a long time, during epidemic periods, or in places where there are many mosquitoes. When purchasing, you can check whether the product packaging has a brand name approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Department of Health Drug Manufacturing No. 0000, Department of Health Drug Transmission No. 0000). Its approved indication is "repelling the bites of mosquitoes, flies, fleas, lice, leeches and other pests".

Commonly added plant essential oils in the latter include: citronella, limonene, eucalyptus, camphor, tea tree, lavender, catnip, grapefruit peel, orange peel, etc., while common vegetable oils include soybean oil and sesame oil. These external products are general commodities and cannot be labeled or claimed to have curative effects. In other words, the anti-mosquito effect and safety of herbal anti-mosquito liquids, anti-mosquito essential oils, anti-mosquito patches and anti-mosquito bracelets on the market have not been confirmed by Taiwan’s health authorities, and their effectiveness is usually unclear. Safety for long-term use also remains to be confirmed. To prevent and treat dengue fever, a correct concept is indispensable, and environmental hygiene and personal anti-mosquito measures are indispensable

The command center of the CDC reminds people that if they are diagnosed with dengue fever, they should follow the doctor’s instructions to take medicine, drink more fluids, and stay at home as much as possible Rest; within 5 days after the onset of illness, avoid being bitten by mosquitoes to reduce the spread of viruses through mosquitoes; and take anti-mosquito measures, including installing screen windows and doors at home, wearing light-colored long-sleeved clothes, hanging mosquito nets when sleeping, and using Electric mosquito swatter (mosquito coils only have mosquito repellent effect), and use mosquito repellent approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare or the Environmental Protection Agency when necessary.

Now is the epidemic period of dengue fever. Eliminating the sources of vector breeding is the most fundamental way to prevent and control dengue fever. People should take the initiative to clear indoor and outdoor water containers and conduct regular inspections to reduce the risk of infection; if you have fever or headache , posterior orbital pain, muscle and joint pain, rash and other suspected symptoms of dengue fever, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible and inform the doctor of your travel or activity history to facilitate timely notification and treatment. Dengue fever rapid screening is included in public funds, and four dengue fever response hospitals have been established

In response to the dengue fever epidemic in the south, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a statement that NS1 rapid screening reagents are provided by the National Health Insurance Agency, as long as they are over 60 years old and meet the dengue fever case definition and experience. People who are diagnosed and treated as moderate (level B) or above, who have developed symptoms within 7 days, and who live in Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Pingtung County are eligible for publicly funded dengue fever rapid screening. Patients who live outside the three southern counties and cities but have a history of travel to dengue fever-endemic areas at home and abroad, and who are judged by doctors to need further testing, are also eligible for publicly funded rapid screening, and the principle is that the public does not need to pay. Patients diagnosed as having mild dengue disease (Grade A) should manage their health independently at home after diagnosis, treatment and health education.

In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has coordinated with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to establish four hospitals, Tainan Hospital, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan Municipal Annan Hospital, and Kaohsiung Wing General Tainan Branch, as dengue response hospitals, and each has planned a ward. , is responsible for admission and treatment, and will be gradually adjusted according to the epidemic situation.

If the public is diagnosed and treated as a moderate or severe (level B or C) dengue fever patient, please follow the hospital's arrangements for medical treatment. To prevent and treat dengue fever, you must follow the doctor's advice and drink more fluids

The CDC stated that in the early stages of dengue fever infection, there will be fever, headache, muscle or bone aches, etc., and some patients will feel loss of appetite; Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. are also common symptoms. The above symptoms can easily put patients in a state of dehydration due to water loss. Most people can recover naturally by replenishing fluids and getting plenty of rest in the early stages of infection, but some patients, especially those who have been infected with other types of viruses and are infected with the currently prevalent second type of virus, or are older or have chronic diseases (such as Diabetes) are all high-risk groups for severe dengue fever. Although the exact factors that cause severe illness are not yet fully understood, most studies show that the increased permeability of microvessels in patients causes water (plasma) in the blood vessels to leak out of the blood vessels, leading to shock and subsequent complications. An important cause of severe illness and death.

The course of dengue fever can be divided into fever period, critical period and recovery period. The leakage of water (plasma) in patients mostly occurs when the fever is about to subside, such as 3 to 7 days after the onset, such as handling It was appropriate and did not cause other complications. This phenomenon usually only lasts for 1 to 2 days and then recovers on its own. Therefore, during this critical period of plasma leakage, providing patients with sufficient water and correcting the dehydration state in the body is the focus of dengue fever treatment. If the doctor assesses that the patient's physical condition does not require hospitalization, he or she can educate the public to drink more water after returning home, and ask the public to pay attention to warning signs. If there are persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, bleeding, cold and clammy limbs, or If there is a change in consciousness, etc., you must return to the hospital for treatment immediately.

There are also people sharing treatment remedies on the Internet, such as drinking red guava juice or homeopathic remedies. The CDC reminds that there are currently no specific drugs and vaccines available for dengue fever, and these folk remedies have not been proven effective in the treatment of dengue fever in clinical trials. People are advised not to try them lightly. If you suspect you are infected with dengue fever, you must seek medical treatment and follow the doctor's recommendations for treatment and medication. , add more water to ensure your own health. For relevant information, please refer to the CDC’s global information website (:cdc.gov) or call the domestic toll-free epidemic prevention hotline 1922 (or 0800-001922).