- What is Dengue?
- Explore symptoms
- Government schemes
Dengue Treatment: Introduction
Dengue is a predominant health problem not only in towns and rural areas of India, but Tier 1 cities like New Delhi, and Hyderabad, to name a few. The free-flowing breeding of mosquitoes due to unhygienic living conditions and waterlogging is the major culprit. Dengue is not just a medical condition anymore but has become a huge financial burden for many categories of people in Indian society. The cost of dengue treatment in India can be anywhere between INR 5000 - 5 Lakhs! And depending on the treatment and diagnosis, the average cost is approx. INR 30,000.
Mostly, middle to lower-income families have to face the fire as their chance of getting dengue is high. Whereas, the treatment options especially at such a high price become impossible to afford. To put an end to this, many well-known insurance companies in India offer health insurance plans at affordable premium rates for better diagnosis & treatment facilities.
To know more about dengue, its causes, diagnosis options, dengue treatment cost in India and more, keep on reading.
What is Dengue?
Dengue is a deadly and communicable disease that is spread by the virus DENV. It gets carried out to human beings through infected mosquitoes.
This variant of dengue virus has four stages:-
These DENV strains cause different stages of dengue. Dengue shows unhealthy symptoms like headache, high fever, nausea, body pain, muscle and joint pain, and more. But when it reaches to severe condition, it can also cause bleeding, trauma, or death-causing signs.
In most cases, dengue can be so dangerous that it can even cause death. However, in general, identifying the symptoms of dengue becomes difficult as the patient doesn’t feel symptoms of severe illness. We will read more about dengue like its symptoms, the cost of dengue treatment in India, and prevention methods in this article.
Symptoms that Lead to Dengue Treatment
Dengue shows mild symptoms when a person gets infected by it. But the condition gets better within 1-2 weeks. Sometimes, the symptoms of dengue can be unrecognised and deadly as well. So, what are the signs that one could recognise a dengue infection? Read below to learn more about the symptoms of dengue:-
| Stages of Dengue | Duration | Symptoms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Febrile Phase | This phase of dengue usually lasts up to 2-7 days | Headache | Vomiting |
| Face redness | Joint or bone pain | ||
| Eye pain | Skin Rashes or Petechiae | ||
| Appetite loss | Abdominal pain | ||
| Muscular pain | Nausea | ||
| Critical Phase | This phase may get extended 3-7 days from the febrile phase of dengue | Abnormal bleeding | Breathing suffocation |
| Severe stomach pain | Hypovolemic shocks, high fever | ||
| Gum bleeding | Blood pressure fluctuation | ||
| Fatigue/lethargies | Quick fever drop | ||
| Enlarging liver | Gastrointestinal bleeding | ||
| Urine, vomit, stool blood | Prolonged menstruation (in women) | ||
| Recovery Phase | The final phase or recovery phase lasts up to 1-3 days from the critical phase ends | Weakness symptoms drop | The liver shrinks to normal, slowly |
| Fever subsidies | Appetite improves gradually | ||
| Normalizing blood pressure | Red patches start disappearing | ||
| Pulse rate rises | Rashes gets cured | ||
| Urine output increases | Blood vessels get normal | ||
Ways Through Which Dengue is Spread
The transmission of dengue can be caused due to several reasons, some of them are:-
Mosquito bites
The species of female mosquito named, Aedes aegypti is the vector that transmits dengue-causing virus. Once this mosquito becomes infectious with the DENV virus, it becomes the transmitter of dengue for its whole life.Human-mosquito
If someone who’s infected with dengue is bitten by a mosquito, there might be a chance of that mosquito to infect others as wellMaternal factors
If a pregnant woman gets bitten by the vectors of dengue, the unborn baby inside her womb may also catch the infection. The baby after its birth may suffer from premature delivery, low weight when born, or fetal distress.Others factors
Other transmitting factor of dengue includes the transmission through organ or blood donation. If the donor, anytime had symptoms of dengue, it may cause the development of dengue in the receiver’s blood.
Factors on Which the Cost of Dengue Treatment in India Depends
The cost of dengue treatment in India may vary from hospital to hospital or city zones from urban to rural. However, the cost of dengue treatment in India mainly depends on the severity according to the tests it follows. So, what are the tests that we require to assess dengue symptoms? Read more about it here:-
Tests Done to Diagnose Dengue
| Lab Test Names | Why is it Performed? |
|---|---|
| Complete blood test | It should be performed before any other tests, such that it can help in diagnosis, and monitoring the progress and spread of the dengue symptoms in one’s body. |
| Electrolyte test | It checks on the electrolytic disturbance caused inside the body of an infected person (with electrolytes like- Na+, K+, Cl-). |
| Liver function test | This test includes AST, ALT, and GGT to keep a check on the functionality of the liver and any damages or dysfunctionalities caused inside the liver. |
| Albumin test | It helps in the assessment of plasma leakage which is directly responsible for Dengue Hemorrhagic fever. |
| Renal function test | This test is conducted to examine the functionality of the patient’s kidney or any complications going through it with Urea, Cystatin, Creatinine, MicroAlbuminuria, etc. |
| CRP test | Checks on the inflammatory symptoms caused due to high dengue fever. |
| Dengue NS1 antigen test | NS here means Non-Structural protein; depicting the presence of the NS1 category of protein in the dengue virus which is responsible for causing the dengue disease. |
| IgM antibody test | When a person is supposedly not in a severe condition, this test derives the result for the presence of antibodies against dengue-causing virus. |
| IgG antibody test | Abbreviated for Immunoglobulin-G, this test is performed to counter any infectious or viral symptoms of dengue in our body. |
NOTE:- The above-mentioned test results are the only way to diagnose symptoms of dengue. In simple words the dengue diagnosis is based on these factors:-
Case: 1 NS1 and/or IgM positive, IgG negative=The primary infection of dengue is diagnosed with this test.
Case: 2 NS1 and/or IgM positive, IgG positive=The diagnosis results in second-stage dengue infection.
Case: 3 NS1, IgM, IgG negative=It shows no dengue infection is present inside your body.
Cost of Dengue Treatment in India
The medical cost of dengue treatment in India can be different in every other hospital depending on the facilities provided. The diagnosis and dengue treatment cost in India may cost you somewhere between Rupees 50,000 to 2,00,000 INR or even more. However, this table estimates a minimum cost of all the tests that are required to examine/treat dengue:-
| Name of the Tests | Cost of the Tests (Average charges in INR) |
|---|---|
| Dengue IGG Antibody test | 600 |
| Dengue IgM Antibody test | 600 |
| Dengue IGG and IGM Antibody test | 1800 |
| Dengue Duo Screening Test | 1100 |
| Dengue Fever Panel | 1299 |
| Dengue Fever Panel-Advance | 1699 |
| Dengue Fever Panel- Comprehensive | 1999 |
| Dengue RNA PCR test | 3200 |
| NS1 Antigen Test | 540 |
| Medications | Depending upon the prescription |
NOTE- This table is a representation of basic charges quoted on the website of Redcliffe Labs, but it does not reflect universal charges of dengue tests. The price may vary from one clinic/hospital to the other.
How can Dengue be Prevented and Treated from Spreading?
There are many ways through which a dengue infection may get transmitted. But you can reverse its effect by preventing it from spreading, at home itself. Look carefully, at the pointers mentioned below to learn more about controlling dengue transmission:-
Control Methods at Home:-
- Use turmeric in your daily application as it helps boost immunity and metabolic strength.
- Intake of the extract of papaya especially its leaves inhibits viral growth and replication.
- If you want to take this control on an ayurvedic side, Giloy is the wonderful remedy for you.
- Vegetables like bitter gourd and bottle gourds etc, are good sources to cure minor symptoms of dengue.
Medical Support in case of severity:-
- Consult a doctor if you ever feel the symptoms of dengue at first.
- In case of dehydration, the patient can use electrolytic transfusions into the body.
- Analgesic medications are useful for joint or bone pain in dengue infection.
- Getting vaccinated against dengue if you ever had the symptoms of it.
Prevention of Dengue:-
- Use mosquito nets while sleeping, it will help you get rid of mosquito bites.
- Apply mosquito repellents curated with natural ingredients like Neem/cinnamon/lemon+eucalyptus/lavender oils, etc.
- Use natural essential oils at home as their diffusion can be effective in preventing dengue.
- Keep your surroundings clean and tidy as it won’t let the mosquitoes grow and multiply rapidly.
- Prevent storing water at a place because it can cause infected mosquitoes to breed faster.
- Avoid eating junk and start including healthy and easily digestible food in your meals. Drink more water.
Government Scheme for Dengue Treatment
The government of India has launched a very useful scheme for dengue treatment under which individuals or families that can not afford costly medical care for dengue can get benefitted from. This national scheme is known by the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP). This government programme has the idea of controlling and stopping the spread of diseases caused by viruses like- Malaria, Dengue, Kala-azar, Japanese Encephalitis, Chikungunya, and Lymphatic Filariasis.
Conclusion
No wonder but dengue infection can be deadly sometimes. Though the main cause of spreading dengue could be the exploding population, human migration, water preservation techniques, lifestyle, etc. However, there are not yet many medications or proper treatments for average-earning people against dengue. But following some methods of dengue control to save yourself and your loved ones can be started from your home.
Multiple health insurance providers in the Indian market provide coverage for the treatment cost of dengue in India. You can get a quote from expert advisors at PolicyX.com for more info.
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Cost of Dengue Treatment in India: FAQs
1. Which period is most dangerous in dengue?
4th and 7th day of dengue is very critical when the patient gets symptoms of fever but they ignore it. Patients should get an early check-up because a little ignorance can cause a critical phase to happen.
2. What should I not eat during dengue?
Your body may get dehydrated. So tea, coffee or any caffeine product could lead to water excretion from the body as urine.
3. How does dengue get spread?
It can spread by animals and the bites or stings of an insect.
4. Can I get infected by another person?
It& 039;s better if you don& 039;t come close to others as it can cause them dengue infection.
5. Is dengue covered in health Insurance policy in India?
Yes, various options in insurance cover the overall treatment of dengue up to Rupees 10,000-1 lakh.
6. Can I get infected by dengue again?
The human body develops immunity against the particular dengue strain that we have had earlier. But there are chances you can get infected with another type of variant as well.
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Written By: Simran Nirala
Lives In: Delhi, NCR Expertise: Health & Term Insurance Simran has an experience of 4 years in content writing. She transitioned from hospitality and digital marketing to the insurance industry after her emerging interest in how vast insurance is. With her ability to write complex insurance concepts in a simple, relatable manner, she keeps her audience hooked and solves their doubts smoothly.
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