Brazilian military mobilizes against dengue fever outbreak

As reported last month, health care experts and Brazilian army have joined the forces to combat the deadliest outbreak of dengue fever that has infected at least 55,000 people in Brazil this year.

According to the state’s ministry of health, the lethal mosquito-borne disease has already killed 67 people this year in Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro, and slightly less than half of the deaths were children under the age of 13. This infectious disease has so far infected tens of thousands of people.

Apprehending the surge of dengue outbreak that seems to keep on rising at a very steady pace, with no sign of slowing, the Defense Ministry late last month announced that it would mobilize its troops to help the health authorities combat the disease.

Dengue, the acute febrile disease transmitted to humans by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, is manifested by a sudden onset of fever, with severe headache, muscle and joint pains and rashes; there may also be gastritis with some combination of associated abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

More than 1,200 members of the Brazilian military arrived in Rio this week to help health authorities fight against dengue, and military hospitals have been set up to ease the burden on other civilian hospitals.

Brazilian military personnel are spraying insecticide in hard-hit neighborhoods to get rid of the mosquitoes which carry the virus. They are also erecting emergency hospital tens.

The armed forces have set up three field hospitals offering 24 hours' free treatment for people suffering from Dengue in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Dengue fever is an acute febrile disease, found in the tropics, with a geographical spread similar to malaria. Dengue is transmitted to humans by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, which breeds in still water, and is caused by four closely related viruses: DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day.

There is no specific treatment or vaccine to treat the disease.

This disease is also known to some as "break-bone" fever because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain that feels like bones are breaking,

Rio de Janeiro health officials are urging people to protect themselves from mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes when outside as well as using lots of mosquito repellant containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.