Find out how to prevent dengue fever in apartments and condominiums – 02/01/2024 – Health

Between January 20 and 27, confirmed cases of dengue in the city of São Paulo rose 79.4%. To avoid the disease, it is essential to stop the proliferation of the transmitting mosquito, which Aedes Aegypti, eliminating stagnant water from containers that could become possible breeding sites. This should be a concern not only for those who live in houses, but also for people who live in apartments.

According to experts, in condominiums, apartments on the lower floors may suffer more from mosquitoes. But this does not mean that the upper floors are protected, as the mosquito has the ability to disperse.

Emy Gouveia, infectious disease specialist at Albert Einstein Hospital, explains that the recommendations for preventing dengue outbreaks in condominiums and apartments are the same as for single-story houses. “The mosquito climbs up the elevator. And there may also be points of stagnant water inside the apartments, even if they are very high,” she says.

Tires leaning against the garage, dishes under flower pots on the balcony, bottles and caps on the ground, gutters, drains, uncovered water tanks, some types of refrigerators that accumulate water in the back, can become sources of dengue fever.

The infectious disease specialist says that, in apartments, the difference is that some points of stagnant water, such as gutters and outbreaks on the ground, are not the individual responsibility of the resident. “If you live in a one-story house, the sources of standing water are closer, there on the ground, in the gutter of the house, somewhere on the street, some manhole. But whoever lives in an apartment, it doesn’t stay up there forever. So care doesn’t change”, he explains.

Tamara Lima Camara, professor at the Department of Epidemiology at the Faculty of Public Health at USP, explains that the lower floors generally suffer more from the presence of mosquitoes, since “if the mosquito arrives on the first or second floor and finds everything that he needs, that he is the creator and the person to suck the blood, he will not need to climb to higher floors”. But that doesn’t mean that residents on high floors don’t need to worry about dengue outbreaks.

According to the biologist, the mosquito only disperses to lay its eggs, in stagnant water, and to feed, sucking people’s blood.

Furthermore, the Aedes aegypti It normally has daytime activity. “It has some characteristic peaks that occur in the morning and afternoon twilight. These are the times when it is most active. But, it is an opportunistic mosquito, it can happen to bite in the early hours of the night”, he states.

Dengue in apartments

Camara understands that, in apartments, it is possible to reinforce protection more specifically in the rooms. “One of the forms of protection is a wall repellent that will be specific to that room,” she says.

According to the biologist, the use of a fan and air conditioning can also be effective in preventing dengue. “In the case of fans, the wind alone prevents the mosquito from landing. To bite, it needs to land on the skin and look for the blood vessel,” she says. “The ventilator helps reduce bites, through a mechanical factor.”

Air conditioning, by reducing the temperature, inhibits mosquito activity. “It ends up becoming more inhibited from looking for a host to feed at lower temperatures”, explains Camara.

The biologist also recommends mosquito screens on windows to prevent insects from entering the apartments. “You prevent mosquitoes from entering through places that have screens. This does not mean that a person cannot come in from the street, open the door and the mosquito can enter the apartment. But having screened windows greatly reduces the entry of mosquitoes”, it says.

Dengue symptoms

Some symptoms of dengue are: fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, body pain, nausea, spots and even bleeding. In some cases, the disease can also be asymptomatic. Gouveia states that some signs of severity are: intense and continuous abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, irritability, loss of consciousness, among other aggravating factors.

If dengue is suspected, the infectious disease specialist recommends that the person seek medical attention. “Anyone who has a suggestive clinical picture must seek medical attention to carry out a clinical assessment, to see if they need hydration. The doctor will determine this, so, if suspected, it is necessary to seek care”, she states.

For dengue, Gouveia explains that there is no specific therapy, such as an antiviral, “treatment is carried out with hydration and medication for pain and fever. But it is important that the person does not self-medicate and seek medical help.”

Gouveia highlights that, if dengue is suspected, anti-inflammatories should not be used. “We received those warnings in advertisements for medication for pain and fever: ‘this medication is contraindicated in cases of suspected dengue fever’. People have to be careful about this and seek assistance”, he recalls. According to the infectious disease specialist, these medications can increase the risk of bleeding if dengue fever is confirmed.