NEW TEST FOR DENGUE HASTENS DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosing diseases in travelers can be difficult.  The tests are often inconclusive or based on a series of blood tests done before and after the illness.  The usefulness of accurate diagnosis ‘after the fact’ is of interest, but not particularly practical.   That is why this new test, available in just another week, will allow be a boon for patients and doctors, providing accurate diagnosis and eliminating alternative possibilities.

Dengue is a viral infection acquired through mosquito bites and occurs primarily in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Carribean, but can also be acquired by travellers to temperate areas in Asia.

Symptoms of dengue fever include a high fever; rash or bleeding of the nose and gums; headache, joint, muscle, or bone pain; severe pain behind the eyes; and easy bruising.