After a morning spent researching Dengue for possible case reports, we met with Dr. Romero at Hospital General de Tapachula, ready to put our new knowledge to use. As we rounded on patients with Dengue Con Signos de Alarma and Dengue Grave, we palpated livers, examined skin for exanthema and petechiae, and assessed for pleural effusion and other fluid accumulation.
As the only treatments are paracetamol (acetaminophen) and liquids, the most important things we have to offer are education and reassurance. This is yet another opportunity to reinforce the importance of taking preventive measures at home: cleaning tanques, removing trash, etc. But reassurance is just as important: a majority of our patients are between the ages of 5 and 14 and parents are understandably concerned.
The toll this disease is taking on Chiapas is immense. In our limited time in the hospital, we’ve encountered over 50 patients with Dengue—and this doesn’t include the patients who have cases of Dengue No Grave that are mild enough to be dealt with at home. Each patient we see represents lost hours of work productivity for parents, long nights spent next to hospital beds, and countless hours of worry. And the worrying is well founded. Though the medical team here does a fantastic job of managing the disease, we have already seen one death from Dengue in our brief time in the hospital.
But our efforts, along with those of everyone else at Hospital General de Tapachula, continue and we hope to help many more.
Global Health Mexico 