dengue blood test

  As the temperature drops and winter starts settling in, it is common to experience seasonal flu and fever, however, this year winter seems to have knocked our doors quite early in most parts of the country. This changing weather brings along a wave of various infections ranging from uncomplicated ones to others posing serious threat to you and your family. Many of the illnesses share fever as the common symptom. A right diagnosis forms the cornerstone of getting the right course of treatment and helps you recover early. Ensure to book a health test and get to know what is causing the high temperature.   This winter, get ready to access quality health testing with metropolis. Seasonal change provides a fertile breeding season for certain harmful germs and vectors that spread diseases. Malaria and dengue are two such mosquito-borne diseases that keep us worried almost every year. As per the data available, India faces a huge burden of mosquito-borne diseases, contributing 34% of global dengue and 3% of global malaria cases.   While malaria and dengue share some common symptoms, there are certain fundamental differences too. Here, we are sharing some details around these conditions and how to know if your fever is due to malaria or dengue. Malaria at glance It is a life-threatening disease caused by plasmodium parasites, which are transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes Although, it is preventable and curable, it accounted for approximately four lakh deaths in 2019, globally Children aged under 5 years are the most susceptible group affected by malaria Its transmission depends on climatic conditions with peaks during and just after the rainy season Dengue at glance It is a mosquito-borne viral disease transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti Dengue virus usually produces only mild flu-like illness. However, occasionally this develops a potentially lethal complication called dengue haemorrhagic fever Dengue fever causes a drop of your white blood cells and platelet count, from 1.5-4 lakhs to as low as 20,000-40,000. The Dengue virus can damage your bone marrow, which is the primary platelet-producing centre of the body and can also generate antibodies that cause destruction of the platelets. This results in a low platelet count. Malaria and dengue: How are the symptoms different? Malaria: Symptoms usually appear 10–15 days after the infective mosquito bite, which can include: High fever Body ache Moderate to severe chills Fall in body temperature resulting in excessive sweating Headaches Nausea Vomiting Diarrhoea. Dengue: Symptoms usually persist for 2–7 days, after an incubation period of 4–10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito. Dengue should be suspected when a high fever (40°C/104°F) is accompanied with two of the following symptoms: Severe headache Pain behind the eyes Muscle and joint pains Nausea Vomiting Swollen glands Rash. What you must note The similar symptoms of dengue and malaria include high fever, fatigue, and nausea, but some of the dengue symptoms stand out, such as: Pain behind the eyes. Swollen glands. Rashes. Any warning signs of severe dengue including vomiting, blood in vomitus or stool, belly pain, etc.   Diagnosis of malaria and dengue Malaria tests look for parasites in the blood. They can be identified by examining a patient's blood under the microscope, spread out as a “blood smear” on a microscopic slide. Book Malaria Smear Examination here. Dengue profile is a lab test panel used to diagnose dengue fever. You must get a dengue profile done if you are experiencing symptoms of dengue. It is very common to confuse the mild dengue symptoms with a seasonal viral fever or other illnesses causing fever.   Suspecting dengue? Get Dengue NS1 antigen test done Early detection of dengue is important for better clinical management to prevent advanced prescriptions and unnecessary hospitalization. Hence, a timely and accurate laboratory diagnosis is significant for prompt identification of dengue infection.   Book Dengue IgG and IgM antibody test here. Practice a little extra care Implementing a healthy lifestyle by improving hygienic living conditions can be a right precautionary step during this time of the year.   Follow these precautionary measures to prevent mosquito borne infections:   Prevention of mosquito breeding: Don’t allow water to stagnate or collect anywhere in and around the house; Domestic water storage containers such as coolers, buckets, etc. should be covered, emptied and cleaned on a weekly basis; Dispose solid waste properly; Maintain hygiene and wash your bathrooms regularly; Properly use insecticides to treat water storage/outdoor containers.   Personal protection from mosquito bites: Use personal household protection measures, like repellents, insecticide treated nets etc. These precautions must be implemented during the day both inside and outside of the home, as mostly mosquito bites throughout the day; Wear clothes that reduce skin exposure to mosquitoes; Sleep under an insecticide-treated net, which can reduce contact between mosquitoes and humans.

Tip tip barsa pani!! And this “pani” gives us a break from the scorching heat. Rain in India brings us life and energy. The monsoon season brings that much-needed relief to the scorched land. However, besides being very refreshing, the heavy rains also provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a humid environment, which in turn can lead to rapid spread of microbe-borne diseases. Malaria, dengue, flu, chikungunya, leptospirosis, etc. are some of the common health conditions that pose a threat to your health during the rainy season. No need to book separate tests for diagnosis now. Book a fever profile test and find what is causing that high temperature or other health symptoms.  You can only enjoy any season if you and your loved ones are healthy and fit. Here are 7 basic (and no hi fi) health tips to keep you healthy during monsoon: 1. Make sure you drink clean water Getting stomach woes during rain due to high chances of water resources being contaminated can be quite common. The best option to get safe drinking water is to have an apt water filter at your home, depending on the water filtration needs in your locality. Another safe option is to boil drinking water before using. If you are traveling, take your water bottle with you or just rely on sealed, packaged water. 2. Loading up on probiotics and fresh vegetables It is advisable to ensure you keep your gut flora happy at all times. Take sufficient probiotics like curd, yogurt, etc. This ensures healthy levels of good gut bacteria. Avoid stale food at all times as they may attract infection-causing germs early on. Include fresh vegetables in your diet to get a lot of proteins, fibre and other nutrients. Wash the vegetables well and avoid eating raw foods as much as possible. 3. Avoid street food: Street food is usually spicy, junk food and can lead to bloating, acidity and indigestion. Also, you can never be sureof what goes inside the street food.The vegetables and water used to make the food might get exposed to constant humidity and can even be contaminated. These unhygienic conditions can cause one to get various infections ranging from typhoid to cholera. Do not overeat and stick to eating small meals once every few hours. 4. No rain dance please: It is very normal to feel tempted to get that rain shower. However, the pollutants and dirt can get trapped on skin and hair and harm you. While you can spend some time in the rain, avoid a long shower. Just after you get drenched, take a warm bath. 5. Binge on immunity-boosting fruits Anapple a day can really help you clean up the toxins present in the liver and boost your immunity. Including vitamin C rich fruits like oranges, mosambi is considered one of the healthiest ways to boost immunity and fight infection. Fruits are rich, natural sources of vitamins and minerals that are essential for an individual to maintain health and strength. 6. Use insect repellents and prevent mosquitoes Do not walk on pavements and roads filled with excess rain water intentionally. These are breeding grounds for mosquitoes that are carriers for several life-threatening diseases such as malaria and dengue. Use insect repellents, mosquito nets, and wear full sleeve clothes while going out, especially in the evening. 7. Prioritize your health and do not delay diagnostic tests: Many diseases present with fever, cold-like symptoms, joint and muscle pain. Your doctor can advise you to get certain lab tests done in order to confirm the diagnosis. Do not doubt your doctor. He cannot get to know what’s causing your symptoms without a diagnostic examination. Hence, it is extremely important to take care of your health and get tests suggested by your doctor. If you have comorbidities and need to get tests done from time to time, do not delay them. A wise way to identify any symptoms and nip them in the bud before they get too serious is to get your annual preventive health checkups regularly. It is an important measure to prevent you from falling sick. Welcome rains with happy mind and healthy body: Follow these health tips for rainy season! Visit Metropolis for any lab test related needs.