Difference between Dengue and Malaria

The onset of Monsoon in India always brings about a rise in the cases of dengue and malaria. Both these diseases are transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Once infected with either of these diseases, the victims shows similar symptoms of fever and chills, making it very difficult to differentiate between the two.

However for proper treatment, it is important the patient is diagnosed for the right disease. This makes it very important that one understand the differences between dengue fever and malaria fever. Here are a few pointers that will help you understand these two diseases (dengue and malaria) better.

Causes

Dengue: Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. It can be further spread if another mosquito bites the infected person and then spread it to people. This dengue mosquito usually attacks during the day.

Malaria: Malaria is caused by the bite of a female anopheles mosquito. It can only be spread by the bite of a female anopheles mosquito unlike dengue. The malaria mosquito usually attacks during the night.

Incubation

Dengue: Dengue symptoms appear 4-5 days after being infected.

Malaria: Malaria symptoms appear 10-15 days after being bitten.

Symptoms

Dengue: Dengue fever strikes the patient suddenly and remains for a long time. It is usually accompanied with severe headache and bone pain. Dengue fever can disappear soon but it usually reappears with skin rashes.

Malaria: Malaria fever keeps reoccurring in shorter duration and is accompanied with other symptoms like joint pain, vomiting, sweating, anaemia etc. Malaria usually occurs in the following stages: chills, heat and sweating.

Diagnosis

Dengue: Dengue can be thoroughly examined through a chemical process. The two tests that diagnose dengue are Antigen tests and Anti body test.

Malaria: Malaria is examined by microscopic tests of the visuals of the virus.

Dengue Fever

Dengue fever is a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses. These viruses are related to the viruses that cause West Nile infection and yellow fever.

Each year, an estimated 100 million cases of dengue fever occur worldwide. 

If you experience any of these symptoms of Dengue don’t take it lightly and consult your doctor at the earliest. Dengue can be treated successfully if it’s detected timely.

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Dengue fever facts

• Dengue fever is a disease caused by a family of viruses that are transmitted by mosquitoes.
• Symptoms include as severe joint and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fever, exhaustion, and rash. The presence of fever, rash, and headache (the "dengue triad") is characteristic of dengue fever.
• Dengue is prevalent throughout the tropics and subtropics.
• Because dengue fever is caused by a virus, there is no specific medicine or antibiotic to treat it. For typical dengue fever, the treatment is directed toward relief of the symptoms (symptomatic treatment).
• The acute phase of the illness with fever and myalgias lasts about one to two weeks.
• Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a specific syndrome that tends to affect children under 10 years of age. It causes abdominal pain, hemorrhage (bleeding), and circulatory collapse (shock).
• The prevention of dengue fever requires control or eradication of the mosquitoes carrying the virus that causes dengue.
• There is currently no vaccine for dengue fever.

Dengue Fever Symptoms and Signs

Primary symptoms of dengue appear three to 15 days after the mosquito bite and include the following:

• high fever and severe headache with severe pain behind the eyes that is apparent when trying to move the eyes.

Other associated symptoms are:

• joint pain,
• muscle and bone pain,
• rash,
• and mild bleeding.

Many affected people complain of low back pain. The lymph nodes of the neck and groin may be swollen. Young children and people infected for the first time typically have milder symptoms than older children and adults.