PULSE Magazine | January 2019 Issue

2018 American Institute of Medical Science

WHAT IS...

The most common deadly disease?

The 3 Deadliest Diseases Wreaking Havoc in the US.

1. Dengue Virus According to 2014 Tropical Medicine Reports, the Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most common viral diseases of the past 30 years, with approximately 390 million people infected globally each year. It is a viral infection with flu-like symptoms usually appearing 4-6 days after the initial infection.

DENV Symptoms Include:  High fever  Nausea and vomiting  A rash appearing 2-5 days after the fever  Severe headaches  Pain behind the eyes  Joint and muscle pain  Bleeding, from the nose, gums, and easy bruising

How Does Dengue Spread? DENV is not a contagious illness and can’t spread directly from person to person. According to information from the World Health Organization, people contract dengue fever if they are bitten by an infected female mosquito. A healthy mosquito can also be infected by biting a person with the virus in their blood. The mosquito then transmits the disease to the next person it feeds on. Recent Outbreaks of Dengue in America DENV has a long history in America. While the latest DENV cases have been travel-related, the Texas-Mexico border has the most patients admitted to hospitals. There has been an increase in southern states, however. In 2009, there was an outbreak of dengue fever in Key West, Florida, the first (not along the Texas-Mexico border) in 60 years. In 2017, there were 80 reported cases of Dengue fever in the U.S. 43 of those were travel-related, and the 37 ‘local’ contractions were in the US territories of American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. How Dangerous is Dengue Fever? If detected early, the fatality rate falls below 1%. The major problem is that symptoms can resemble the flu or other viruses. Out of the approximate 500,000 people admitted to hospital with severe dengue, 2.5% die. There are four strains of the dengue virus, and once infected and recovered from one, the patient will have lifelong immunity for that particular strain. However, later infections by one of the others can increase the risk of severe dengue. 2. Influenza A The flu may not sound like one of the deadliest diseases in the US, but this infectious disease is highly contagious, with hundreds of strains that mutate frequently. As if that isn’t troubling enough, it’s also incurable. Strains are classified into three main categories: A, B, and C. A and B are behind the winter flu season, with A being the most severe. C strains also cause illnesses, but the symptoms are much less severe. Influenza A viruses are further broken down into H and N subtypes (eg. H1N1, also known as Swine Flu).

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