Blood test for Dengue

Table Of Contents:

• Introduction

• What is Dengue?

• How to Find If I Have Dengue or Not?

•  Symptoms of Dengue Fever

• Do I need to Take a Blood Test for Dengue?

• What do the Dengue Test Results Mean?

• How to Take Care of Myself If I Have Dengue Fever?

• When and How to Get a Blood Test for Dengue? | Abi Scans and Labs

• What Sleep Conditions Can Hurt Heart Health?

• Conclusion

Introduction

Dengue can be dangerous if not detected at earlier stages through blood tests. You need to have an idea of what is dengue and what are the symptoms that occur due to it. This will lead you to your healthcare provider who will get diagnosis help from a scan center and use the results to give you the proper treatment. This blog will give you an overlook of how to make yourself free from the dengue virus.

What is Dengue?

Dengue fever is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus, which is primarily transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes, particularly the Aedes aegypti mosquito. These mosquitoes are commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue fever, so it is better to provide the best care. It’s better to prevent mosquito populations by removing stagnant water, the breeding place for mosquitoes or you can make yourself safe by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing.  If you think that you have dengue fever, be sure to get medical attention and a proper diagnosis.

How to Find If I Have Dengue or Not?

To fight dengue, you must first know if you are having it or not. You can find it easy by the symptoms you have if you are infected by it. Here is a list of symptoms that are related to dengue fever, and if you have any you need to visit your healthcare provider at the earliest. But, the symptoms of dengue show ten days later after getting bitten by an infected mosquito. 

 Symptoms of Dengue  Fever

• Nausea and vomiting
• Rash
• Eye pain, typically behind the eyes
• Headache
• Joint, bone, or muscle pain

But, for severe dengue fever, the symptoms will appear after 24 or 48 hours after the fever goes down. If you are having

• Abdominal (belly) pain or tenderness
• Vomiting (at least 3 times in 24 hours)
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Vomiting blood or blood in the stool (poop)
• Feeling tired, restless, or irritable

It might be something serious and you must get to your doctor as soon as possible.

Do I need to Take a Blood Test for Dengue?

Yes, you need to take a blood test to check if you have dengue fever. If you are having symptoms of dengue fever your doctor will recommend you for a blood test. During the test, a professional will take a small amount of blood from you can collect it in a test tube. After this, the blood is sent for testing and the time taken for results varies concerning the health center you are at. 

What do the Dengue Test Results Mean?

The test results from your blood test for dengue fever will go through two tests. With the results of these tests, your healthcare provider can easily find out if you are having dengue or not. The tests and the results that determine if you are having dengue or not are as follows,

Molecular Test (PCR Test)

• +ve test result: You are having dengue infection found through the genetic material from the virus in your blood.
• -ve test result: There is no dengue-causing virus found in your blood. But, it might also be due to not having enough virus in your blood sample. This error occurs due to a test done after 7 days of symptom. If this i the case, then an antibody test is done to confirm it.

Antibody Test

• +ve test result: This means antibodies for the dengue virus have been found in your blood sample and it confirms that you have dengue fever. Your healthcare provider will order another test to find the exact type of viral infection.
• -ve test result: Antibodies that fight against viruses in your system have not been found. This might also be the case because your body has not yet started to produce antibodies that fight against the dengue virus. Your healthcare provider will order another antibody test to be sure of it.

How to Take Care of Myself If I Have Dengue Fever?

If you are tested to have dengue fever, your doctor will provide the necessary medications for you to get better. Other than that, You can take care of yourself by following these simple practices to treat the symptoms of dengue fever.

• Make sure to get plenty of rest.
• Have a lot of fluids.
• Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium, it increases the risks of bleeding.
• Take acetaminophen to control fever and relieve pain.
• Watch out for the symptoms carefully, as they can become severe within hours.

You need to visit a doctor as soon as you see your symptoms rising so that you can get the right medication at the right time.

When and How to Get a Blood Test for Dengue? | Abi Scans and Labs

When infected with dengue your body creates antibodies to fight against the dengue virus. Once you start to generate the symptoms of dengue fever, it is best to take a blood test after four days after the symptoms start to develop. Once, you find that you have symptoms of dengue fever, you need to visit your doctor to get suggestions, and will recommend you take a blood test to confirm it.

Abi Scans and Labs in Coimbatore, Tirupur, and Pollachi can be the best place for you to take your blood test. Because the professionals working here are very experienced in what they do and give test results quicker than any other. Blood test results for dengue fever provided at a quicker phase can help you get diagnosed at an earlier stage. The tests that will be done at Abi Scans and Labs are as follows,

• Molecular tests for dengue virus (PCR): A test to detect the presence of the dengue virus itself. This test is performed 7 days after the symptoms are seen. This test can determine the type of dengue virus from the 4 different serotypes that cause this infection.
• Antibody tests, IgM and IgG: To detect antibodies produced by the immune system after getting affected by the virus. This test is most effective when performed at least 4 days after exposure.
• Complete blood count (CBC): To look for low platelet count typical of the later stages of the illness and to detect the decrease in hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell (RBC) count (evidence of anemia) that would occur with blood loss associated with severe dengue fever.
• Basic metabolic panel (BMP): To monitor kidney function and look for evidence of dehydration that can occur with severe illness.

Conclusion

Hope this blog will help people to take proper care and avoid getting infected by mosquito-borne viral diseases. If you start to have symptoms of dengue fever please get to the nearest health care center and get tested for it. This can help you fight against dengue fever and beat it down to become healthier again.