When suffering from dengue fever, accidentally taking aspirin can worsen the bleeding condition in patients, potentially leading to life-threatening gastric hemorrhage.
Dengue fever can be cured if treated according to the correct protocol, but patients still face the risk of death if complacent about the following misconceptions:
1. One-time infection guarantees lifelong immunity
According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Cap, Head of the Emergency Department at the Central Tropical Hospital, anyone can contract dengue fever, including the elderly, children, and young adults. Currently, there are four types of dengue virus in circulation, so patients who have been infected can still contract the disease again, and the subsequent infection can even be more severe than the first.
Specifically, the dengue virus has four different serotypes: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. If a person has been infected with one strain of the virus, they may only develop lifelong immunity to that strain but not to the others.
Thus, an individual may contract dengue fever up to four times in their lifetime. If a person is infected for the first time, they could potentially contract the illness three more times from the remaining dengue virus serotypes.
Dengue fever patients being treated at Khanh Hoa Tropical Hospital. (Photo: Minh Hoang).
2. Fever reduction means the disease is cured
Typically, during the first three days, patients will experience a high fever, headaches, body aches, and eye pain. However, this period is not the most dangerous, and complications may not occur. Patients can still be treated at home.
Dr. Cap warns that the fourth day (counting from the onset of fever) is the most critical time for the disease. Patients will no longer have a high fever as seen in the previous three days. Many believe the illness is becoming less dangerous and is almost resolved, but this phase is when severe complications can occur.
The first complication is increased vascular permeability and blood concentration. Patients may not notice this, as it only manifests through test results. Based on those results, doctors will decide whether to administer intravenous fluids.
Excessive vascular leakage may lead to warning signs of shock such as: extreme fatigue, pain in the liver area, nausea, and vomiting. In children, symptoms may include lethargy or restlessness, reduced urination, and refusal to eat. These cases require immediate medical attention to rehydrate and avoid life-threatening situations.
The second complication is bleeding due to thrombocytopenia. Patients may experience nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or skin hemorrhages. These patients need to go to medical facilities for tests to assess the severity of their thrombocytopenia, so that healthcare providers can consider platelet transfusions if necessary.
Experts note that all local hospitals can perform these tests; it is not necessary to go to central hospitals, which could waste time and pose risks for patients while overwhelming the hospital system. Only in cases of shock or organ failure will local healthcare providers provide initial resuscitation and transfer patients to central hospitals via ambulance.
3. Contact with dengue patients will spread the disease
According to Dr. Cap, dengue fever is not transmitted through respiratory droplets, bodily fluids, or contact with infected individuals. Dengue is only spread through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes that transmit the virus.
4. Taking Aspirin and Ibuprofen when suffering from dengue fever
It’s crucial to replace water, clean household items, and avoid stagnant water to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
When experiencing the first symptoms of dengue fever, such as body aches, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, and fever, most people tend to think of the flu or viral fever and self-medicate with pain relievers, including aspirin and ibuprofen. These two medications can exacerbate the bleeding condition in patients, potentially leading to severe gastric hemorrhaging, which can be life-threatening.
Dr. Cap explains that dengue fever causes coagulation disorders, making the body more prone to bleeding. In mild cases, patients may experience skin hemorrhaging with red spots or bruises. Severe cases may lead to bleeding gums, nosebleeds, vomiting blood, or black stools. Meanwhile, both aspirin and ibuprofen act to prevent platelet aggregation and blood coagulation. Aspirin additionally has side effects like causing stomach ulcers, which can lead to gastric bleeding and vomiting blood.
5. Disease-transmitting mosquitoes only exist in stagnant water
People often mistakenly believe that only dirty, unsanitary areas or stagnant water are breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes. In reality, Aedes mosquitoes can breed in clear water left standing in places within our homes, such as fish tanks, vases, decorative water features, water on altars, or rainwater accumulated in debris on rooftops or balconies…
Therefore, it’s important to regularly replace water, clean household items, and eliminate standing water to prevent mosquito larvae from developing into adult mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever can also be found in high-rise buildings. Therefore, when spraying insecticides, it’s essential to treat all levels of a home to eliminate the entire mosquito population and prevent them from moving between floors or from one house to another.
6. Spraying insecticides is the best way to prevent dengue
Many people believe that if their household has sprayed insecticides, mosquitoes will not return for months. This is a misconception. Insecticide spraying is done in a very small volume, dispersing tiny amounts of chemicals in mist form, effectively killing the mosquitoes present at that time.
Just a few hours after spraying, the chemical concentration will dissipate, and new mosquitoes can continue to enter the home, attack, and spread the disease.
Thus, if spraying is to be effective in controlling outbreaks, it must be done comprehensively and simultaneously across entire communities.
7. Complacency in seeking medical attention
Dengue fever is classified into three degrees: mild, with warning signs, and severe. While mild cases may be managed at home, patients still need to seek medical evaluation for diagnosis and monitoring since the disease can progress from mild to severe. Severe dengue can lead to serious complications such as: internal bleeding, brain damage, liver and kidney injury, and even death if not detected promptly.
When experiencing suspicious signs of dengue fever, patients should immediately visit a healthcare facility for examination, testing, diagnosis, and appropriate treatment.
