Running a fever is one of the main symptoms of dengue that everyone looks for. But if you assumed that high-grade fever is the first sign of the disease, think again. In rare cases, a person may be infected with the dengue virus without having any fever, doctors at AIIMS have said in a published case study, reports Times of India (TOI).
The case cited in the study is that of a 50-year-old man who had dengue without any fever. He underwent a blood test after complaints of fatigue. And the low count of red cells, white cells and platelets led the doctors to test for the vector-borne disease.
The doctors added that dengue patients who do not show fever are likely to be old, diabetic, or suffering from other immunity-compromised states.
This isn’t the only case of dengue where this one symptom was missing. Several doctors have reported that they have encountered some such cases last year as well as this year.
The TOI report quotes Dr Rommel Tickoo, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine at Max Hospital, Saket, as saying:
I have come across at least two to three such cases in the last few months. Such patients present with general weakness, low blood pressure ad low platelet count. Dengue test is needed if there is no other explanation for the symptoms, especially in outbreak period.
For patients who don’t develop fever, the crucial symptoms to look out for include restlessness, vomiting, body ache and severe weakness.
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