DENGUE: must read (fast track, mosquito, place)

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

And I don't think getting it once makes you immune, either.

On the contrary, it makes you more likely to have a much worse case if contracted again, as Wanderlust mentioned.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

There's a reason they call Dengue fever: breakbone fever. Kidney stones are supposed to be a walk in the park compared to it. And I don't think getting it once makes you immune, either. I'm surprised CDC isn't there checking this out.

Lots of worrywarts on this forum. Let's put things into perspective (again)...

Less than 5% of those that contract Dengue fever have any complications at all. And of that 5% that suffers from complications, the mortality rate is well below 1%. The chance of death in developed countries is less than 1 in 5,000 infections. You have a greater chance of dying from the common cold. A tiny percentage of those infected experience debilitating severe pain as noted by the previous poster. In fact, 80% (4 out of 5) of those infected with Dengue are asymptomatic (i.e. they have NO symptoms at all whatsoever and have no idea they even got it). Thousands of people in Hawaii have contracted Dengue and they don't even know it.

India reports roughly 20,000 Dengue fever cases annually. However, the true count is 6-8 million infections annually. That's because the overwhelming majority of infections never go reported and people ride them out without medical attention (either symptom free or with flu-like symptoms).

The case count will undeniably increase in Hawaii because anyone that may have been bitten by a mosquito and has flu-like symptoms will (thanks to the media) freak out and go to the hospital to get tested for Dengue. Before this made headlines, everyone just laid in bed and rode out the effects of what is probably the common flu. BUT they easily could have had contracted Dengue. They would just never know if the media wasn't all over this.

Again, I'm not downplaying the disease. Just putting things into perspective.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Okay, call me a worrywart, but this is a very real disease with a very real risk to anyone on the Big Island. I take the warnings seriously and protect myself and my property, and I urge anyone else with half a brain to do the same.

We could choose to ignore it like we did the coqui frogs, and now they have taken over the island. True, their only harm is irritatingly loud noise, but still an epidemic.

How about the little fire ants? Their bite can cause serious harm to humans and animals. Some friends of mine here have experienced painful rashes. If we don't control them while we still can, then they will take over just like the coquis did.

So let's jump on the mosquito/dengue problem before it too gets out of hand. People have been getting seriously ill on the Big Island; we are up to 92 confirmed cases. And that doesn't count those people who have not gotten medical care or those who have left the island and don't know what they have.

I trust the information from the two doctors who are legislators in Hawaii and know what they are talking about. I know Richard Creagan personally, and he is not one to be fear mongering. It sounds like you have neither the medical training or personal experience to be passing judgement or to be advising others.

[pj737]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

Okay, call me a worrywart, but this is a very real disease with a very real risk to anyone on the Big Island. I take the warnings seriously and protect myself and my property, and I urge anyone else with half a brain to do the same.

We could choose to ignore it like we did the coqui frogs, and now they have taken over the island. True, their only harm is irritatingly loud noise, but still an epidemic.

How about the little fire ants? Their bite can cause serious harm to humans and animals. Some friends of mine here have experienced painful rashes. If we don't control them while we still can, then they will take over just like the coquis did.

So let's jump on the mosquito/dengue problem before it too gets out of hand. People have been getting seriously ill on the Big Island; we are up to 92 confirmed cases. And that doesn't count those people who have not gotten medical care or those who have left the island and don't know what they have.

I trust the information from the two doctors who are legislators in Hawaii and know what they are talking about. I know Richard Creagan personally, and he is not one to be fear mongering. It sounds like you have neither the medical training or personal experience to be passing judgement or to be advising others.

I am simply advising people to not freak out. I am not advising people to do anything else. Anyone with half a brain already knows to avoid mosquito bites. Wearing clothes that cover your skin and/or use of insect repellent just makes sense. Also, making sure there is no standing water around a home or business also makes perfect sense. It's good that the media is telling people to not be stupid but any more information than protecting oneself from bites and preventing mosquito breeding on property is simply fear mongering.

Every day I read the news and they revise the count (which makes in-your-face headline news). 40 infections now up to 45. Wait, now we're up to 57. Oh my now we're at 75. Holy moly we're going to break 100 soon. EVERYONE TAKE COVER FROM MOSQUITOES WHATEVER YOU DO!!!!

The count will continue to go up because anyone with half a brain knows the media is hyping this up as an extremely dangerous health and safety issue and, as a result, anyone with flu-like symptoms are rushing to the doctor to make sure they won't suffer from excruciating muscle and bone pain for 10 days straight. The CDC, on the other hand, sent two $200 mosquito sprayers to the island. The sky is indeed falling.

There are businesses on the Big Island that can be hurt by this kind of fear-mongering. Ultimately this hurts everyone on the island and in the state. What the media SHOULD be doing is telling everyone to calm down and that the likelihood of suffering from debilitating pain is very, very rare even if you contract the disease. I've seen the media on several occasions report how people that contract Dengue suffer from MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR pain and people have died from the disease. But they fail to note that these instances are very rare and nobody has ever died in Hawaii from Dengue.

Your concerning comments and completely inaccurate data (20 deaths from your "reliable" sources??) regarding RLWD is equally ridiculous and fear-mongering.

You really need to consider that there are many people with careers that depend on this kind of health and safety hysteria to make their jobs relevant and in some cases, more exciting. Unfortunately you can't see the bias in that.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

You are bordering on hysteria and I am done having this "conversation".

I would just advise anyone having an interest in this issue to read the information from the Department of Health and Civil Defense for themselves.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

On the contrary, it makes you more likely to have a much worse case if contracted again, as Wanderlust mentioned.

But it has to be one of the other 4 distinct serotypes of Dengue. Actually, once recovered from infection you are immune to that particular variety. A small consolation, however, as you can learn by the link attached below. Fortunately, it's quite unlikely that Hawaii has multiple varieties at this time, or will in the future. I'm not too worried about it for the time being. It's more of a big deal in SE Asia and other tropical places.

Study details how dengue infection hits harder second time around | Berkeley News

[rodentraiser]

And today there was an article on the outbreak on Yahoo news. I think the thing is, dengue can be a serious disease, but no matter how serious it is, if the government has to pay for mosquito control and some people are going to end up missing work or in the hospital, that's still a cost that has to be counted.

Just because there are "only" so many cases now doesn't mean anyone should be complacent. In 2000, the US had virtually no measles cases and now we're on track for over 400 cases this year. In 2009 we started with a few cases of swine flu and eventually over 12,000 people died from that. West Nile started with only a couple cases in New York, and now West Nile is in 48 states. In the early 80s we only had a handful of HIV and AIDS cases, and now they number in the millions. If it were me, I'd rather take precautions than not.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

Just because there are "only" so many cases now doesn't mean anyone should be complacent.

Right. We wouldn't want Hawaii to end up like Puerto Rico, where 95% of the population has been infected.

[Irish Eyes_Mrs. Z]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Taking a cruise to Hawaii? Can't take fluid containers of any size in your carry on when flying, ya know. 72 cases now reported.

Nope. Flying Hawaiian Airlines. We'll take our 3.4 oz. each of sunscreen, mosquito repellent, etc. in our quart bags, and buy more stuff as necessary while we're there. And if that "stuff" is sold out all over the island, I guess that's just the way it goes, and we'll find other ways to deal with mosquitoes and excessive sunlight. Like I said, after waiting almost the entirety of my 57 years of life for this trip, Dengue Fever--nor anything short of death itself--isn't going to keep me away :-).

[leilaniguy]

Not to worry about shortages, plenty to go around. We have Long's Drugs (CVS) right in Pahoa. Supposedly the juice from squeezed papaya leaves stops the fever- so "they" say.