Cough


Cough
Pertussis.jpg


A young boy coughing due to pertussis (Whooping Cough).
ICD-10R05.
ICD-9786.2
MedlinePlus003072
eMedicineENT/1048560

cough (About this sound pronunciation  Latintussis) is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes. The cough reflex consists of three phases: an inhalation, a forced exhalation against a closed glottis, and a violent release of air from the lungs following opening of the glottis, usually accompanied by a distinctive sound.[1] Coughing can happen voluntarily as well as involuntarily.
Frequent coughing usually indicates the presence of a disease. Many viruses andbacteria benefit evolutionarily by causing the host to cough, which helps to spread the disease to new hosts. Most of the time, coughing is caused by a respiratory tract infection but can be triggered by choking, smokingair pollution,[1] asthma,gastroesophageal reflux diseasepost-nasal dripchronic bronchitis, lung tumors,heart failure and medications such as ACE inhibitors.
Treatment should target the cause; for example, smoking cessation or discontinuing ACE inhibitors. Some people may be worried about serious illnesses, and reassurance may suffice. Cough suppressants such as codeine ordextromethorphan are frequently prescribed, but have been demonstrated to have little effect. Other treatment options may target airway inflammation or may promote mucus expectoration. As it is a natural protective reflex, suppressing the cough reflex might have deleterious effects, especially if the cough is productive.[2]

Contents

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[edit]Classification

A cough can be classified by its duration, character, quality, and timing.[3] The duration can be either acute (of sudden onset) if it is present less than three weeks, subacute if it is present between three and eight weeks, and chronic when lasting longer than eight weeks.[3] A cough can be dry or productive, depending on whether sputum is coughed up. It may occur only at night (then called nocturnal cough), during both night and day, or just during the day.[3]
A number of characteristic coughs exist. While these have not been found to be diagnostically useful in adults, they are of use in children.[3]A barky cough is part of the common presentation of croup,[4] while a staccato cough has been classically described with chlamydiapneumonia.[5]

[edit]Differential diagnosis

A cough in children may be either a normal physiological reflex or due to an underlying cause.[3] In healthy children it may be normal in the absence of any disease to cough ten times a day.[3] The most common cause of an acute or subacute cough is a viral respiratory tract infection.[3] In adults with a chronic cough, i.e. a cough longer than 8 weeks, more than 90% of cases are due to post-nasal dripasthma,eosinophilic bronchitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.[3] The causes of chronic cough are similar in children with the addition ofbacterial bronchitis.[3]

[edit]Infections

A cough can be the result of a respiratory tract infection such as the common coldpneumoniapertussis, or tuberculosis. In the vast majority of cases, acute coughs, i.e. coughs shorter than 3 weeks, are due to the common cold.[6] In people with a normal chest X-ray, tuberculosis is a rare finding. Pertussis is increasingly being recognised as a cause of troublesome coughing in adults.
After a viral infection has cleared, the person may be left with a postinfectious cough. This typically is a dry, non-productive cough that produces no phlegm. Symptoms may include a tightness in the chest, and a tickle in the lungs. This cough may often persist for weeks after an illness. The cause of the cough may be inflammation similar to that observed in repetitive stress disorders such as carpal tunnel. The repetition of coughing produces inflammation which produces discomfort, which in turn produces more coughing creating a closed loop. Postinfectious cough typically does not respond to conventional cough treatments. Treatment consists of any anti-inflammatory medicine to treat the inflammation, and a cough suppressant to reduce frequency of the cough until inflammation clears. Inflammation may increase sensitivity to other existing issues such as allergies, and treatment of other causes of coughs (such as use of an air purifier or allergy medicines) may help speed recovery. A bronchodilator, which helps open up the airways, may also help treat this type of cough.

[edit]Reactive airway disease

When coughing is the only complaint of a person who meets the criteria for asthma (bronchial hyperresponsiveness and reversibility), this is termed cough-variant asthma. Two related conditions are atopic cough and eosinophilic bronchitis. Atopic cough occurs in individuals with afamily history of atopy, abundant eosinophils in the sputum, but with normal airway function and responsiveness. Eosinophilic bronchitis is also characterized by eosinophilia in the sputum, without airway hyperresponsiveness or an atopic background. This condition responds to treatment with corticosteroids. Cough can also worsen in an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Asthma is a common cause of chronic cough in adults and children. Coughing may be the only symptom the person has from their asthma, or asthma symptoms may also include wheezing, shortness of breath, and a tight feeling in their chest. Depending on how severe the asthma is it can be treated with bronchodilators (medicine which causes the airways to open up) or inhaled steroids. Treatment of the asthma should make the cough go away.
Chronic bronchitis is defined clinically as a persistent cough that produces sputum (phlegm) and mucus, for at least three months in two consecutive years. Chronic bronchitis is often the cause of “smoker’s cough.” The tobacco causes inflammation, secretion of mucus into the airway, and difficulty clearing that mucus out of the airways. Coughing helps clear those secretions out. May be treated by quitting smoking. May also be caused by Pneumoconiosis and long-term fume inhalation.

[edit]Gastroesophageal reflux

In people with unexplained cough gastroesophageal reflux disease should be considered.[3] This occurs when acidic contents of the stomach come back up into the esophagus. Symptoms usually associated with GERD include heartburn, sour taste in the mouth, or a feeling of acid reflux in the chest, although, more than half of the people with cough from GERD don’t have any other symptoms. An esophageal pH monitor can confirm the diagnosis of GERD. Sometimes GERD can complicate another respiratory process like asthma or bronchitis. The treatment involves anti-acid medications and lifestyle changes with surgery indicated in cases not manageable with conservative measures.

[edit]Air pollution

Coughing may be caused by air pollution including tobacco smoke, particulate matter, irritant gases, and dampness in the home.[3]

[edit]Foreign body

foreign body can sometimes be suspected, for example if the cough started suddenly when the patient was eating. Rarely, sutures left behind inside the airway branches can cause coughing. A cough can be triggered by dryness from mouth breathing or recurrent aspiration of food intro the windpipe in people with swallowing difficulties.

[edit]ACE inhibitor

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are drugs used in diabetics, heart disease, and high blood pressure. In 25-10% of the people who take it, it can cause them to have a cough as a side effect. Stopping the drug is the only way to make the cough go away. Such medicines for hypertension are very common in use such as ramipril and quinapril. There are cases of "cough of unknown origin" who had resolution with stopping the drug.[7]

[edit]Psychogenic cough

psychogenic cough ("habit cough" or "tic cough") may be the cause in the absence of a physical problem. In these instances emotional and psychological problems are suspected. However, other illnesses have to be ruled out before a firm diagnosis of psychogenic cough is made. Psychogenic cough is thought to be more common in children than in adults. A possible scenario: psychogenic cough develops in a child who has a chronically ill brother or sister.[8]

[edit]Other

Cough may also be caused by conditions affecting the lung tissue such as bronchiectasiscystic fibrosisinterstitial lung diseases andsarcoidosis. Coughing can also be triggered by benign or malignant lung tumors or mediastinal masses. Through irritation of the nerve, diseases of the external auditory canal (wax, for example) can also cause cough. Cardiovascular diseases associated with cough are heart failure, pulmonary infarction and aortic aneurysm. Nocturnal cough is associated with heart failure, as the heart does not compensate for the increased volume shift to the pulmonary circulation, in turn causing pulmonary edema and resultant cough.[9] Other causes of nocturnal cough include asthmapost-nasal drip and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).[10] Another cause of cough occurring preferentially insupine position is recurrent aspiration.[9]
Coughing may also be used for social reasons, such as the coughing before giving a speech. Cough may also be psychogenic, which is different from habit coughing and tic coughing.[8] Coughing may occur in tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome, although it should be distinguished from throat-clearing in this disorder.
Given its irritant nature to mammal tissues, capsaicin is widely used to determine the cough threshold and as a tussive stimulant in clinical research of cough suppressants. Capsaicin is what makes chilli peppers spicy, and might explain why workers in factories with these vegetables can develop a cough.
Coughing is not always involuntary, and can be used in social situations. Coughing can be used to attract attention, release internal psychological tension, or become a maladaptive displacement behavior. It is believed that the frequency of such coughing increases in environments vulnerable to psychological tension and social conflict. In such environments, coughing may become one of many displacementbehaviors and/or defense mechanisms.

[edit]Pathophysiology


Coughing is viewed as a public health issue.
A cough is a protective reflex in healthy individuals which is influenced by psychological factors.[3]The cough reflex is initiated by stimulation of two different classes of afferent nerves, namely themyelinated rapidly adapting receptors, and nonmyelinated C-fibers with endings in the lungs. However it is not certain that the stimulation of nonmyelinated C-fibers leads to cough with a reflexas it's meant in physiology (with its own five components): this stimulation may cause mast cellsdegranulation (through an asso-assonic reflex) and edema which may work as a stimulus for rapidly adapting receptors.

[edit]Diagnostic approach

The determination of the cause of a cough usually begins by determining if it is specific or nonspecific in nature.[3] A specific cough is one associated with other symptoms and further workup is dependent on these symptoms while a non specific cough occurs without other signs and symptoms.[3] Further workup may include labs, x rays, and spirometry.[3]

[edit]Treatment

The treatment of a cough in children is based on the underlying cause with the use of cough medicine supported by little evidence and thus not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.[3]
A trial of antibiotics or inhaled corticosteroids may be tried in children with a chronic cough in an attempt to treat protracted bacterial bronchitis or asthma respectively.[3]

[edit]Complications

The complications of coughing can be classified as either acute or chronic. Acute complications include cough syncope (fainting spells due to decreased blood flow to the brain when coughs are prolonged and forceful), insomnia, cough-induced vomiting, rupture of blebs causingspontaneous pneumothorax (although this still remains to be proven), subconjunctival hemorrhage or "red eye", coughing defecation and in women with a prolapsed uterus, cough urination. Chronic complications are common and include abdominal or pelvic hernias, fatiguefractures of lower ribs and costochondritis.

[edit]Epidemiology

A cough is the most common reason for visiting a primary care physician in the United States.[3]

[edit]References

As of this edit, this article uses content from "Acute cough: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge", which is licensed in a way that permits reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, but not under the GFDL. All relevant terms must be followed.
  1. a b Chung KF, Pavord ID (April 2008). "Prevalence, pathogenesis, and causes of chronic cough"Lancet 371 (9621): 1364–74.doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60595-4PMID 18424325.
  2. ^ Pavord ID, Chung KF (April 2008). "Management of chronic cough"Lancet 371 (9621): 1375–84. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60596-6PMID 18424326.
  3. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Goldsobel AB, Chipps BE (March 2010). "Cough in the pediatric population". J. Pediatr. 156 (3): 352–358.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.12.004PMID 20176183.
  4. ^ Bjornson CL, Johnson DW (July 2007). "Croup in the paediatric emergency department". Paediatr Child Health 12 (6): 473–477.PMC 2528757PMID 19030411.
  5. ^ Miller KE (April 2006). "Diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis infection". Am Fam Physician 73 (8): 1411–6.PMID 16669564.
  6. ^ Dicpinigaitis PV, Colice GL, Goolsby MJ, Rogg GI, Spector SL, Winther B (2009). "Acute cough: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge". Cough 5: 11. doi:10.1186/1745-9974-5-11.PMC 2802352PMID 20015366. "In the vast majority of cases, acute cough is due to acute viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), i.e., the common cold."
  7. ^ Kostas Koliopoulos, Cardiologist: "Cases of Cough of unknown origin, due to use of ACE medication for hypertension", data on file, Preveza, Greece, 2010
  8. a b Irwin RS, Glomb WB, Chang AB (January 2006). "Habit cough, tic cough, and psychogenic cough in adult and pediatric populations: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines".Chest 129 (1 Suppl): 174S–179S.doi:10.1378/chest.129.1_suppl.174SPMID 16428707.
  9. a b NCBI  » Bookshelf  » Clinical Methods  » The Pulmonary System » Cough and Sputum Production By Sattar Farzan. Extracted from the book Clinical Methods, 3rd edition The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. Edited by H Kenneth Walker, MD, W Dallas Hall, MD, and J Willis Hurst, MD. Boston: Butterworths; 1990. ISBN 0-409-90077-X
  10. ^ http://www.nlhep.org/books/pul_Pre/chronic-cough.htmlNational Lung Health Education Program > C. Chronic Cough] The Snowdrift Pulmonary Foundation, Inc. 2000. ISBN 0-9671809-2-9
↑ Arella, A. (nd), Coughing as an Indicator of Displacement Behaviour, <http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ33337.pdf> (

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Dengue fever (disambiguation). Dengue fever Classification and external resources The typical rash seen in dengue fever ICD-10 A90. ICD-9 061 DiseasesDB 3564 MedlinePlus 001374 eMedicine med/528 MeSH C02.782.417.214 Dengue fever (UK: /ˈdɛŋɡeɪ/, US: /ˈdɛŋɡiː/), also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic morbilliform skin rash. In a small proportion of cases the disease develops to the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever (bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakage) and dengue shock syndrome (circulatory failure). Dengue is transmitted by several species of mosquito within the Aedes genus, principally A. aegypti. The virus has four different types; infection with one type usually gives lifelong immunity to that type, but only short-term immunity to the others. Subsequent infection with a different type is believed to increase the risk of severe complications. As there is no vaccine, prevention is sought by reducing the habitat and the number of mosquitoes and limiting exposure to bites. Treatment of acute dengue is supportive, using either oral or intravenous rehydration for mild or moderate disease, and intravenous fluids and blood transfusion for more severe cases. The incidence of dengue fever has increased dramatically over the last 50 years, with around 50–100 million people infected yearly. Dengue is currently endemic in more than 110 countries. Early descriptions of the condition date from 1779, and its viral cause and the transmission were elucidated in the early 20th century. Dengue has become a worldwide problem since the Second World War. Contents [hide] 1 Signs and symptoms 1.1 Clinical course 1.2 Associated problems 2 Cause 2.1 Virology 2.2 Transmission 2.3 Predisposition 3 Mechanism 3.1 Viral reproduction 3.2 Severe disease 4 Diagnosis 4.1 General 4.2 Classification 4.3 Virology and serology 5 Prevention 6 Management 7 Epidemiology 8 History 8.1 Etymology 8.2 Discovery 9 Research 10 Notes 11 References 12 External links Signs and symptoms Schematic depiction of the symptoms of dengue fever People infected with dengue virus are commonly asymptomatic or only have mild symptoms such as an uncomplicated fever.[1][2] Others have more severe illness, and in a small proportion it is life-threatening.[1] The incubation period (time between exposure and onset of symptoms) ranges from 3–14 days, but most often it is 4–7 days.[3] This means that travellers returning from endemic areas are unlikely to have dengue if fever or other symptoms start more than 14 days after arriving home.[4] Children often experience symptoms similar to those of the common cold and gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea),[5] but are more susceptible to the severe complications.[4] Clinical course The characteristic symptoms of dengue are: a sudden-onset fever, headache (typically behind the eyes), muscle and joint pains, and a rash. The alternative name for dengue, "break-bone fever", comes from the associated muscle and joints pains.[1][6] The course of infection is divided into three phases: febrile, critical, and recovery.[7] The febrile phase involves high fevers, frequently over 40 °C (104 °F) and is associated with generalized pain and a headache; this usually lasts two to seven days.[6][7] Flushed skin and some small red spots called petechiae, which are caused by broken capillaries, may occur at this point,[7] as may some mild bleeding from mucous membranes of the mouth and nose.[4][6] The critical phase, if it occurs, follows the resolution of the high fever and typically lasts one to two days.[7] During this phase there may be significant fluid accumulation in the chest and abdominal cavity due to increased capillary permeability and leakage. This leads to depletion of fluid from the circulation and decreased blood supply to vital organs.[7] During this phase, organ dysfunction and severe bleeding (typically from the gastrointestinal tract) may occur.[4][7] Shock and hemorrhage occur in less than 5% of all cases of dengue,[4] however those who have previously been infected with other serotypes of dengue virus ("secondary infection") have an increased risk.[4][8] The recovery phase occurs next, with resorption of the leaked fluid into the bloodstream.[7] This usually lasts two to three days.[4] The improvement is often striking, but there may be severe itching and a slow heart rate.[4][7] It is during this stage that a fluid overload state may occur, which if it affects the brain may reduce the level of consciousness or cause seizures.[4] Associated problems Dengue may occasionally affect several other body systems.[7] This may be either in isolation or along with the classic dengue symptoms.[5] A decreased level of consciousness occurs in 0.5–6% of severe cases. This may be caused by infection of the brain by the virus or indirectly due to impairment of vital organs, for example, the liver.[5][9] Other neurological disorders have been reported in the context of dengue, such as transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.[5] Infection of the heart and acute liver failure are among the rarer complications of dengue.[4][7] Cause Virology Main article: Dengue virus A TEM micrograph showing dengue virus virions (the cluster of dark dots near the center) Dengue fever virus (DENV) is an RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae; genus Flavivirus. Other members of the same family include yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Kyasanur forest disease virus, and Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus.[9] Most are transmitted by arthropods (mosquitoes or ticks), and are therefore also referred to as arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses).[9] The dengue virus genome (genetic material) contains about 11,000 nucleotide bases, which code for the three different types of protein molecules that form the virus particle (C, prM and E) and seven other types of protein molecules (NS1, NS2a, NS2b, NS3, NS4a, NS4b, NS5) that are only found in infected host cells and are required for replication of the virus.[8][10] There are four strains of the virus, which are called serotypes, and these are referred to as DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4.[2] All four serotypes can cause the full spectrum of disease.[8] Infection with one serotype is believed to produce lifelong immunity to that serotype but only short term protection against the others.[2][6] The severe complications on secondary infection seem to occur particularly if someone previously exposed to serotype DENV-1 then contracts serotype DENV-2 or serotype DENV-3, or if someone previously exposed to type DENV-3 then acquires DENV-2.[10] Transmission The mosquito Aedes aegypti feeding off a human host Dengue virus is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, particularly A. aegypti.[2] These mosquitoes usually live between the latitudes of 35° North and 35° South below an elevation of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).[2] They bite primarily during the day.[11] Other mosquito species—Aedes albopictus, A. polynesiensis and several A. scutellaris—may also transmit the disease.[2] Humans are the primary host of the virus,[2][9] but it may also circulate in nonhuman primates.[12] An infection may be acquired via a single bite.[13] A mosquito that takes a blood meal from a person infected with dengue fever becomes itself infected with the virus in the cells lining its gut. About 8–10 days later, the virus spreads to other tissues including the mosquito's salivary glands and is subsequently released into its saliva. The virus seems to have no detrimental effect on the mosquito, which remains infected for life. Aedes aegypti prefers to lay its eggs in artificial water containers and tends to live in close proximity to humans, and prefers to feed off people rather than other vertebrates.[14] Dengue may also be transmitted via infected blood products and through organ donation.[15][16] In countries such as Singapore, where dengue is endemic, the risk is estimated to be between 1.6 and 6 per 10,000 transfusions.[17] Vertical transmission (from mother to child) during pregnancy or at birth has been observed.[13] Other person-to-person modes of transmission have been reported, but are very unusual.[6] Predisposition Severe disease is more common in babies and young children, and in contrast to many other infections it is more common in children that are relatively well nourished.[4] Women are more at risk than men.[10] Dengue may be life-threatening in people with chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma.[10] It is thought that polymorphisms (normal variations) in particular genes may increase the risk of severe dengue complications. Examples include the genes coding for the proteins known as TNFα, mannan-binding lectin,[1] CTLA4, TGFβ,[8] DC-SIGN, and particular forms of human leukocyte antigen.[10] A common genetic abnormality in Africans, known as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, appears to increase the risk.[18] Polymorphisms in the genes for the vitamin D receptor and FcγR seem to offer protection.[10] Mechanism When a mosquito carrying DENV bites a person, the virus enters the skin together with the mosquito's saliva. It binds to and enters white blood cells, and reproduces inside the cells while they move throughout the body. The white blood cells respond by producing a number of signalling proteins (such as interferon) that are responsible for many of the symptoms, such as the fever, the flu-like symptoms and the severe pains. In severe infection, the virus production inside the body is greatly increased, and many more organs (such as the liver and the bone marrow) can be affected, and fluid from the bloodstream leaks through the wall of small blood vessels into body cavities. As a result, less blood circulates in the blood vessels, and the blood pressure becomes so low that it cannot supply sufficient blood to vital organs. Furthermore, dysfunction of the bone marrow leads to reduced numbers of platelets, which are necessary for effective blood clotting; this increases the risk of bleeding, the other major complication of dengue.[18] Viral reproduction After entering the skin, DENV binds to Langerhans cells (a population of dendritic cells in the skin that identifies pathogens).[18] The virus enters the cells through binding between viral proteins and membrane proteins on the Langerhans cell, specifically the C-type lectins called DC-SIGN, mannose receptor and CLEC5A.[8] DC-SIGN, a non-specific receptor for foreign material on dendritic cells, seems to be the main one.[10] The dendritic cell moves to the nearest lymph node. Meanwhile, the virus genome is replicated in membrane-bound vesicles on the cell's endoplasmic reticulum, where the cell's protein synthesis apparatus produces new viral proteins, and the viral RNA is copied. Immature virus particles are transported to the Golgi apparatus, the part of the cell where the some of the proteins receive necessary sugar chains (glycoproteins). The now mature new viruses bud on the surface of the infected cell and are released by exocytosis. They are then able enter other white blood cells (such as monocytes and macrophages).[8] The initial reaction of infected cells is to produce the interferon, a cytokine that raises a number of defenses against viral infection through the innate immune system by augmenting the production of a large group of proteins (mediated by the JAK-STAT pathway). Some serotypes of DENV appear to have mechanisms to slow down this process. Interferon also activates the adaptive immune system, which leads to the generation of antibodies against the virus as well as T cells that directly attack any cell infected with the virus.[8] Various antibodies are generated; some bind closely to the viral proteins and target them for phagocytosis (ingestion by specialized cells) and destruction, but some bind the virus less well and appear instead to deliver the virus into a part of the phagocytes where it is not destroyed but is able to replicate further.[8] Severe disease Further information: Antibody-dependent enhancement It is not entirely clear why secondary infection with a different strain of DENV places people at risk of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. The most widely accepted hypothesis is that of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). The exact mechanism behind ADE is unclear. It may be caused by poor binding of non-neutralizing antibodies and delivery into the wrong compartment of white blood cells that have ingested the virus for destruction.[8][10] There is a suspicion that ADE is not the only mechanism underlying severe dengue-related complications,[1] and various lines of research have implied a role for T cells and soluble factors (such as cytokines and the complement system).[18] Severe disease is marked by two problems: dysfunction of endothelium (the cells that line blood vessels) and disordered blood clotting.[5] Endothelial dysfunction leads to the leakage of fluid from the blood vessels into the chest and abdominal cavities, while coagulation disorder is responsible for the bleeding complications. Higher levels of virus in the blood and involvement of other organs (such as the bone marrow and the liver) are associated with more severe disease. Cells in the affected organs die, leading to the release of cytokines and activation of both coagulation and fibrinolysis (the opposing systems of blood clotting and clot degradation). These alterations together lead to both endothelial dysfunction and coagulation disorder.[18] Diagnosis General Warning signs[19] Abdominal pain Ongoing vomiting Liver enlargement Mucosal bleeding High hematocrit with low platelets Lethargy The diagnosis of dengue is typically made clinically, on the basis of reported symptoms and physical examination; this applies especially in endemic areas.[1] Early disease can however be difficult to differentiate from other viral infections.[4] A probable diagnosis is based on the findings of fever plus two of the following: nausea and vomiting, rash, generalized pains, low white blood cell count, positive tourniquet test, or any warning sign (see table) in someone who lives in an endemic area.[19] Warning signs typically occur before the onset of severe dengue.[7] The tourniquet test, which is particularly useful in settings where no laboratory investigations are readily available, involves the application of a blood pressure cuff for five minutes, followed by the counting of any petechial hemorrhages; a higher number makes a diagnosis of dengue more likely.[7] It may be difficult to distinguish dengue fever and chikungunya, a similar viral infection that shares many symptoms and occurs in similar parts of the world to dengue.[6] Often, investigations are performed to exclude other conditions that cause similar symptoms, such as malaria, leptospirosis, typhoid fever, and meningococcal disease.[4] The earliest change detectable on laboratory investigations is a low white blood cell count, which may then be followed by low platelets and metabolic acidosis.[4] In severe disease, plasma leakage may result in hemoconcentration (as indicated by a rising hematocrit) and hypoalbuminemia.[4] Pleural effusions or ascites may be detected by physical examination when large,[4] but the demonstration of fluid on ultrasound may assist in the early identification of dengue shock syndrome.[1][4] The use of ultrasound is limited by lack of availability in many settings.[1] Classification The World Health Organization's 2009 classification divides dengue fever into two groups: uncomplicated and severe.[1][19] This replaces the 1997 WHO classification, which needed to be simplified as it had been found to be too restrictive, but the older classification is still widely used.[19] The 1997 classification divided dengue into undifferentiated fever, dengue fever, and dengue hemorrhagic fever.[4][20] Dengue hemorrhagic fever was subdivided further into four grades (grade I–IV). Grade I is the presence only of easy bruising or a positive "tourniquet test" (see below) in someone with fever, grade II is the presence of spontaneous bleeding into the skin and elsewhere, grade III is the clinical evidence of shock, and grade IV is shock so severe that blood pressure and pulse cannot be detected.[20] Grades III and IV are referred to as "dengue shock syndrome".[19][20] Virology and serology Dengue fever may also be diagnosed by microbiological laboratory testing.[19] This can be done by virus isolation in cell cultures, nucleic acid detection by PCR, viral antigen detection or specific antibodies (serology).[10][21] Virus isolation and nucleic acid detection are more accurate than antigen detection, but these tests are not widely available due to their greater cost.[21] All tests may be negative in the early stages of the disease.[4][10] Apart from serology, laboratory tests are only of diagnostic value during the acute phase of the illness. Tests for dengue virus-specific antibodies, types IgG and IgM, can be useful in confirming a diagnosis in the later stages of the infection. Both IgG and IgM are produced after 5–7 days. The highest levels (titres) of IgM are detected following a primary infection, but IgM is also produced in secondary and tertiary infections. The IgM becomes undetectable 30–90 days after a primary infection, but earlier following re-infections. IgG, by contrast, remains detectable for over 60 years and, in the absence of symptoms, is a useful indicator of past infection. After a primary infection the IgG reaches peak levels in the blood after 14–21 days. In subsequent re-infections, levels peak earlier and the titres are usually higher. Both IgG and IgM provide protective immunity to the infecting serotype of the virus. In the laboratory test the IgG and the IgM antibodies can cross-react with other flaviviruses, such as yellow fever virus, which can make the interpretation of the serology difficult.[6][10][22] The detection of IgG alone is not considered diagnostic unless blood samples are collected 14 days apart and a greater than fourfold increase in levels of specific IgG is detected. In a person with symptoms, the detection of IgM is considered diagnostic.[22] Prevention A 1920s photograph of efforts to disperse standing water and thus decrease mosquito populations There are currently no approved vaccines for the dengue virus.[1] Prevention thus depends on control of and protection from the bites of the mosquito that transmits it.[11][23] The World Health Organization recommends an Integrated Vector Control program consisting of five elements: (1) Advocacy, social mobilization and legislation to ensure that public health bodies and communities are strengthened, (2) collaboration between the health and other sectors (public and private), (3) an integrated approach to disease control to maximize use of resources, (4) evidence-based decision making to ensure any interventions are targeted appropriately and (5) capacity-building to ensure an adequate response to the local situation.[11] The primary method of controlling A. aegypti is by eliminating its habitats.[11] This may be done by emptying containers of water or by adding insecticides or biological control agents to these areas.[11] Reducing open collections of water through environmental modification is the preferred method of control, given the concerns of negative health effect from insecticides and greater logistical difficulties with control agents.[11] People may prevent mosquito bites by wearing clothing that fully covers the skin and/or the application of insect repellent (DEET being the most effective).[13] Management There are no specific treatments for the dengue fever virus.[1] Treatment depends on the symptoms, varying from oral rehydration therapy at home with close follow-up, to hospital admission with administration of intravenous fluids and/or blood transfusion.[24] A decision for hospital admission is typically based on the presence of the "warning signs" listed in the table above, especially in those with preexisting health conditions.[4] Intravenous hydration is usually only needed for one or two days.[24] The rate of fluid administration is titrated to a urinary output of 0.5–1 mL/kg/hr, stable vital signs and normalization of hematocrit.[4] Invasive medical procedures such as nasogastric intubation, intramuscular injections and arterial punctures are avoided, in view of the bleeding risk.[4] Acetaminophen may be used for fever and discomfort while NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and aspirin are avoided as they might aggravate the risk of bleeding.[24] Blood transfusion is initiated early in patients presenting with unstable vital signs in the face of a decreasing hematocrit, rather than waiting for the hemoglobin concentration to decrease to some predetermined "transfusion trigger" level.[25] Packed red blood cells or whole blood are recommended, while platelets and fresh frozen plasma are usually not.[25] During the recovery phase intravenous fluids are discontinued to prevent a state of fluid overload.[4] If fluid overload occurs and vital signs are stable, stopping further fluid may be all that is needed.[25] If a person is outside of the critical phase, a loop diuretic such as furosemide may be used to eliminate excess fluid from the circulation.[25] Epidemiology See also: Dengue fever outbreaks Dengue distribution in 2006. Red: Epidemic dengue and Ae. aegypti Aqua: Just Ae. aegypti. Most people with dengue recover without any ongoing problems.[19] The mortality is 1–5% without treatment,[4] and less than 1% with adequate treatment.[19] Severe disease carries a mortality of 26%.[4] Dengue is believed to infect 50 to 100 million people worldwide a year with half a million life-threatening infections requiring hospitalization,[1] resulting in approximately 12,500–25,000 deaths.[5][26] The burden of disease from dengue is estimated to be similar to other childhood and tropical diseases, such as tuberculosis, at 1600 disability-adjusted life years per million population.[10] It is the most common viral disease transmitted by arthropods.[8] As a tropical disease it is deemed only second in importance to malaria.[4] It is endemic in more than 110 countries.[4] The World Health Organization counts dengue as one of sixteen neglected tropical diseases.[27] The incidence of dengue increased 30 fold between 1960 and 2010.[28] This increase is believed to be due to a combination of urbanization, population growth, increased international travel, and global warming.[1] The geographical distribution is around the equator with 70% of the total 2.5 billion people living in endemic areas from Asia and the Pacific.[28] In the United States, the rate of dengue infection among those who return from an endemic area with a fever is 2.9–8.0%,[13] and it is the second most common infection after malaria to be diagnosed in this group.[6] Until 2003, dengue was classified as a potential bioterrorism agent, but subsequent reports removed this classification as it was deemed too difficult to transfer and only caused hemorrhagic fever in a relatively small proportion of people.[29] History Etymology The origins of the word "dengue" are not clear, but one theory is that it is derived from the Swahili phrase Ka-dinga pepo, which describes the disease as being caused by an evil spirit.[30] The Swahili word dinga may possibly have its origin in the Spanish word dengue, meaning fastidious or careful, which would describe the gait of a person suffering the bone pain of dengue fever.[31] However, it is possible that the use of the Spanish word derived from the similar-sounding Swahili.[30] Slaves in the West Indies having contracted dengue were said to have the posture and gait of a dandy, and the disease was known as "dandy fever".[32][33] The term "break-bone fever" was first applied by physician and Founding Father Benjamin Rush, in a 1789 report of the 1780 epidemic in Philadelphia. In the report he uses primarily the more formal term "bilious remitting fever".[29][34] The term dengue fever came into general use only after 1828.[33] Other historical terms include "breakheart fever" and "la dengue".[33] Terms for severe disease include "infectious thrombocytopenic purpura" and "Philippine", "Thai", or "Singapore hemorrhagic fever".[33] Discovery The first record of a case of probable dengue fever is in a Chinese medical encyclopedia from the Jin Dynasty (265–420 AD) which referred to a "water poison" associated with flying insects.[30][35] There have been descriptions of epidemics in the 17th century, but the most plausible early reports of dengue epidemics are from 1779 and 1780, when an epidemic swept Asia, Africa and North America.[35] From that time until 1940, epidemics were infrequent.[35] In 1906, transmission by the Aedes mosquitoes was confirmed, and in 1907 dengue was the second disease (after yellow fever) that was shown to be caused by a virus.[36] Further investigations by John Burton Cleland and Joseph Franklin Siler completed the basic understanding of dengue transmission.[36] The marked rise of spread of dengue during and after the Second World War has been attributed to ecologic disruption. The same trends also led to the spread of different serotypes of the disease to different areas, and the emergence of dengue hemorrhagic fever, which was first reported in the Philippines in 1953. In the 1970s, it became a major cause of child mortality. Around the same time it emerged in the Pacific and the Americas.[35] Dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome were first noted in Middle and Southern America in 1981, as DENV-2 was contracted by people who had previously been infected with DENV-1 several years earlier.[9] Research Current research efforts to prevent and treat dengue have included different means of vector control,[37] vaccine development, and antiviral drugs.[23] With regards to vector control, a number of novel methods have been used to reduce mosquito numbers with some success including the placement of the fish Poecilia reticulata or copepods in standing water to eat the mosquito larva.[37] There are ongoing programs working on a dengue vaccine to cover all four serotypes.[23] One of the concerns is that a vaccine may increase the risk of severe disease through antibody-dependent enhancement.[38] The ideal vaccine is safe, effective after one or two injections, covers all serotypes, does not contribute to ADE, is easily transported and stored, and is both affordable and cost-effective.[38] A number of vaccines are currently undergoing testing.[10][29][38] It is hoped that the first products will be commercially available by 2015.[23] Apart from attempts to control the spread of the Aedes mosquito and work to develop a vaccine against dengue, there are ongoing efforts to develop antiviral drugs that might be used to treat attacks of dengue fever and prevent severe complications.[39][40] Discovery of the structure of the viral proteins may aid the development of effective drugs.[40] There are several plausible targets. The first approach is inhibition of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (coded by NS5), which copies the viral genetic material, with nucleoside analogs. Secondly, it may be possible to develop specific inhibitors of the viral protease (coded by NS3), which splices viral proteins.[41] Finally, it may be possible to develop entry inhibitors, which stop the virus entering cells, or inhibitors of the 5' capping process, which is required for viral replication.[39] Notes ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Whitehorn J, Farrar J (2010). "Dengue". Br. Med. Bull. 95: 161–73. doi:10.1093/bmb/ldq019. PMID 20616106. ^ a b c d e f g WHO (2009), pp. 14–16 ^ Gubler (2010), p. 379 ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Ranjit S, Kissoon N (July 2010). "Dengue hemorrhagic fever and shock syndromes". Pediatr. Crit. Care Med. 12 (1): 90–100. doi:10.1097/PCC.0b013e3181e911a7. PMID 20639791. ^ a b c d e f Varatharaj A (2010). "Encephalitis in the clinical spectrum of dengue infection". Neurol. India 58 (4): 585–91. doi:10.4103/0028-3886.68655. PMID 20739797. ^ a b c d e f g h Chen LH, Wilson ME (October 2010). "Dengue and chikungunya infections in travelers". Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis. 23 (5): 438–44. doi:10.1097/QCO.0b013e32833c1d16. PMID 20581669. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l WHO (2009), pp. 25–27 ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rodenhuis-Zybert IA, Wilschut J, Smit JM (August 2010). "Dengue virus life cycle: viral and host factors modulating infectivity". Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 67 (16): 2773–86. doi:10.1007/s00018-010-0357-z. PMID 20372965. ^ a b c d e Gould EA, Solomon T (February 2008). "Pathogenic flaviviruses". The Lancet 371 (9611): 500–9. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)60238-X. PMID 18262042. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Guzman MG, Halstead SB, Artsob H, et al. (December 2010). "Dengue: a continuing global threat". Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 8 (12 Suppl): S7–S16. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2460. PMID 21079655. ^ a b c d e f WHO (2009), pp. 59–60 ^ "Vector-Borne Viral Infections". World Health Organization. Retrieved 17 January 2011. ^ a b c d Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "Chapter 5 – Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF)". 2010 Yellow Book. Retrieved 2010-12-23. ^ Gubler (2010), pp. 377–78 ^ Wilder-Smith A, Chen LH, Massad E, Wilson ME (January 2009). "Threat of dengue to blood safety in dengue-endemic countries". Emerg. Infect. Dis. 15 (1): 8–11. doi:10.3201/eid1501.071097. PMC 2660677. PMID 19116042. ^ Stramer SL, Hollinger FB, Katz LM, et al. (August 2009). "Emerging infectious disease agents and their potential threat to transfusion safety". Transfusion 49 Suppl 2: 1S–29S. doi:10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02279.x. PMID 19686562. ^ Teo D, Ng LC, Lam S (April 2009). "Is dengue a threat to the blood supply?". Transfus Med 19 (2): 66–77. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3148.2009.00916.x. PMC 2713854. PMID 19392949. ^ a b c d e Martina BE, Koraka P, Osterhaus AD (October 2009). "Dengue virus pathogenesis: an integrated view". Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 22 (4): 564–81. doi:10.1128/CMR.00035-09. PMC 2772360. PMID 19822889. ^ a b c d e f g h WHO (2009), pp. 10–11 ^ a b c WHO (1997). "Chapter 2: clinical diagnosis". Dengue haemorrhagic fever: diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control (2nd ed.). Geneva: World Health Organization.. pp. 12–23. ISBN 9241545003. ^ a b WHO (2009), pp. 90–95 ^ a b Gubler (2010), p. 380 ^ a b c d WHO (2009), p. 137 ^ a b c WHO (2009), pp. 32–37 ^ a b c d WHO (2009), pp. 40–43 ^ WHO media centre (March 2009). "Dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever". World Health Organization. Retrieved 2010-12-27. ^ Neglected Tropical Diseases. "Diseases covered by NTD Department". World Health Organization. Retrieved 2010-12-27. ^ a b WHO (2009), p. 3 ^ a b c Barrett AD, Stanberry LR (2009). Vaccines for biodefense and emerging and neglected diseases. San Diego: Academic. pp. 287–323. ISBN 0-12-369408-6. ^ a b c Anonymous (2006). "Etymologia: dengue". Emerg. Infec. Dis. 12 (6): 893. ^ Harper D (2001). "Etymology: dengue". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 2008-10-05. ^ Anonymous (1998-06-15). "Definition of Dandy fever". MedicineNet.com. Retrieved 2010-12-25. ^ a b c d Halstead SB (2008). Dengue (Tropical Medicine: Science and Practice). River Edge, N.J: Imperial College Press. pp. 1–10. ISBN 1-84816-228-6. ^ Rush AB (1789). "An account of the bilious remitting fever, as it appeared in Philadelphia in the summer and autumn of the year 1780". Medical enquiries and observations. Philadelphia, Pa.: Prichard and Hall. pp. 104–117. ^ a b c d Gubler DJ (July 1998). "Dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever". Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 11 (3): 480–96. PMC 88892. PMID 9665979. ^ a b Henchal EA, Putnak JR (October 1990). "The dengue viruses". Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 3 (4): 376–96. PMC 358169. PMID 2224837. ^ a b WHO (2009), p. 71 ^ a b c Webster DP, Farrar J, Rowland-Jones S (November 2009). "Progress towards a dengue vaccine". Lancet Infect Dis 9 (11): 678–87. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(09)70254-3. PMID 19850226. ^ a b Sampath A, Padmanabhan R (January 2009). "Molecular targets for flavivirus drug discovery". Antiviral Res. 81 (1): 6–15. doi:10.1016/j.antiviral.2008.08.004. PMC 2647018. PMID 18796313. ^ a b Noble CG, Chen YL, Dong H, et al. (March 2010). "Strategies for development of Dengue virus inhibitors". Antiviral Res. 85 (3): 450–62. doi:10.1016/j.antiviral.2009.12.011. PMID 20060421. ^ Tomlinson SM, Malmstrom RD, Watowich SJ (June 2009). "New approaches to structure-based discovery of dengue protease inhibitors". Infectious Disorders Drug Targets 9 (3): 327–43. PMID 19519486. References Gubler DJ (2010). "Dengue viruses". In Mahy BWJ, Van Regenmortel MHV. Desk Encyclopedia of Human and Medical Virology. Boston: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-375147-0. WHO (2009). Dengue Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Control. World Health Organization. ISBN 9241547871. External links Find more about Dengue fever on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Dengue fever at the Open Directory Project "Dengue". WHO. Retrieved 2010-12-24. "Dengue". US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 2010-12-24. "Dengue fever". UK Health Protection Agency. Retrieved 2010-12-24. [hide]v · d · eZoonotic viral diseases (A80–B34, 042–079) Arthropod/ (arbovirus) Mosquito Bunyaviridae Arbovirus encephalitis: La Crosse encephalitis (LCV) · California encephalitis (CEV) Viral hemorrhagic fever: Rift Valley fever (RVFV) Flaviviridae Arbovirus encephalitis: Japanese encephalitis (JEV) · Australian encephalitis (MVEV, KUNV) · St. Louis encephalitis (SLEV) · West Nile fever (WNV) Viral hemorrhagic fever: Dengue fever (DV) other: Yellow fever (YFV) · Zika fever Togaviridae Arbovirus encephalitis: Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEEV) · Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEEV) · Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEEV) other: Chikungunya (CV) · O'Nyong-nyong fever (OV) · Ross River fever (RRV) Tick Bunyaviridae Viral hemorrhagic fever: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHFV) Flaviviridae Arbovirus encephalitis: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV) · Powassan encephalitis (PV) · Deer tick virus encephalitis (DTV) Viral hemorrhagic fever: Omsk hemorrhagic fever (OHFV) · Kyasanur forest disease (KFDV/Alkhurma virus)) · Langat virus (LGTV) Reoviridae Colorado tick fever (CTFV) Mammal Rodent (Robovirus) Arenaviridae Viral hemorrhagic fever: Lassa fever (LV) · Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever (Guanarito virus) · Argentine hemorrhagic fever (Junin virus) · Bolivian hemorrhagic fever (Machupo virus) · Lujo virus Bunyaviridae Puumala virus · Andes virus · Sin Nombre virus · Hantavirus (HV) Bat Filoviridae VHF: Ebola hemorrhagic fever · Marburg hemorrhagic fever Rhabdoviridae Australian bat lyssavirus · Mokola virus · Duvenhage virus · Lagos bat virus · Chandipura virus(sandfly) Bornaviridae Menangle · Henipavirus · Borna disease (Borna disease virus) Multiple Rhabdoviridae Rabies (RV) M: VIR virs(prot)/clss cutn/syst (hppv/hiva, infl/zost/zoon)/epon drugJ(dnaa, rnaa, rtva, vacc) Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever"