Pakistan Medical Society (PMS) has advised the people that preventive measures must be adopted for dengue mosquito control.

PMS Chairman Dr Masood Akhtar Sheikh, while addressing the workshop held in connection with the “Dengue Preventive measures” in Lahore, said that dengue virus, carrying mosquito Aedies Egypti, had the ability to reproduce in a very thin film of fresh water, as thin as one rupee coin.

This mosquito has an average life span of two to three weeks. If fresh water reservoirs are available during this span, it has the capacity to lay 250 to 300 eggs that can give rise to the same number of adult mosquitoes. He said that during the lifecycle, the mosquito passes through eggs, larva, pupa and finally adult mosquito in an average time of one week. This is the reason that fresh water left for one week is a potential source for Aedies Egypti breeding.

All efforts should be directed to avoid even such a thin film of fresh water in any vessel longer than 5-6 days during this season.

A very simple method to avoid the breeding of the dengue virus mosquito is to keep on changing water at least once in 5 days in flower pots, money plants, trays of water pots, water left in tires, bottles, bath tubs, even the water tanks.

There has been no specific treatment for dengue fever. Anybody, suspecting dengue, should not use Aspirin or any form of NSAID, as these can be dangerous, and may result in bleeding due to platelets dysfunction.

Dr Masood Sheikh added that dengue fever was a self-limiting disease with almost 100% recovery but at the same time dengue hemorrhagic fever & dengue shock syndrome could be dangerous.

There has been no effective dengue vaccine; prevention is the only tool for the control. Vice President of PMS Dr Israr Hussain said Pakistan Medical Society had been chalking out an effective dengue preventive campaign to create awareness about the simple and cost effective methods for controlling the said disease.