JAKARTA - Fever is often considered a mild complaint that can be overcome with rest or fever-reducing drugs. However, this assumption is not always true. In the case of dengue fever, for example, mistakes in recognizing symptoms from the beginning can lead to inappropriate treatment and have fatal consequences.
Dengue fever often resembles a common fever in the early stages, although the disease can develop rapidly and cause serious complications such as severe bleeding, shock, and even death if it is not treated in time.
Recognizing the characteristics of dengue fever is the key so that patients do not get medical help too late. If these symptoms are mistaken for a common fever and are only treated independently, the risk of worsening the condition will increase, especially when entering the critical phase of the disease.
Awareness since the first day of fever is very important so that dengue can be recognized earlier and treated appropriately before it develops into a life-threatening condition.
Internal medicine doctor, Dr. dr. Adityo Susilo, SpPD, K-P.T.I, FINASIM, explained that dengue is a viral infection that can attack anyone, regardless of age, place of residence, or lifestyle. This disease often starts suddenly and to the extreme.
"Dengue is caused by a virus that causes severe inflammation in a short time. The fever can rise very quickly, in less than 12 hours the body temperature jumps to 39-40 degrees Celsius. This is different from the common fever which usually increases gradually,"
This was said by dr. Adityo in a media education entitled "Rainy Season Increases the Risk of Dengue: It's Time to Strengthen Long-Term Protection for Children and Adults", supported by PT Takeda Innovative Medicines in Jakarta, Rabut, February 4, 2026.
He added, this extreme fever often makes patients seem to be still normal activities in the morning, but suddenly weak or even lying helpless at night. This drastic change in condition should be a warning sign.
In addition to a sudden high fever, dengue is also accompanied by various typical accompanying symptoms, such as severe headache, pain behind the eyeball, heartburn, nausea, and a significant decrease in appetite.
According to dr. Adityo, the dengue virus also affects the digestive tract, so that complaints of lack of appetite can be very severe.
"In fact, when you are sick, your body actually needs nutrient intake. If you encounter extreme symptoms that suddenly appear accompanied by severe digestive complaints, you have to be very careful," he said.
Dr. Adityo also reminded that dengue cannot be ascertained from only a clinical examination. Diagnosis needs to be upheld through laboratory examinations, including by looking at signs of plasma leakage, one of which is through an increase in hematocrit levels.
Doctors will also assess whether there is free fluid in the abdominal cavity or lungs as a sign of the severity of the disease.
"Dengue fever and common fever can only be distinguished with certainty from the results of laboratory tests," he explained.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of recognizing the signs of dengue that require immediate medical assistance. These signs include high fever accompanied by severe abdominal pain, constant vomiting, bleeding, severe weakness, and loss of consciousness.
Delay in recognizing the warning signs can be fatal. It is also important to understand that a person can be infected with dengue more than once, and in the next infection the risk can actually be heavier.
In addition, adults infected with dengue without symptoms are still potentially involved in transmission. If the person is bitten by a mosquito, the mosquito can carry the virus and transmit it to others.
"Until now, there is no specific medicine that can cure dengue. Therefore, prevention remains the most important step through self-protection and consistent risk control," said Dr. Adityo.
Symptoms of dengue in children that need to be aware ofMeanwhile, Prof. DR. dr. Hartono Gunardi, Sp.A, Subsp. TKPS, Chairman of the Child Immunization Task Force of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDAI), highlighted vigilance against dengue fever in children.
He explained that the critical phase of dengue generally occurs on the third to fourth day in children, while in adults it can last between the third and sixth day.
"At this stage, the risk of complications increases and needs to be closely monitored," explained Prof. Hartono.
One of the important parameters that must be considered is the platelet level. In dengue infection, there is quite a lot of damage to blood vessels, so platelets are used a lot to close the leak.
"If platelets start to drop drastically, the risk of bleeding will increase. Platelets below 50 thousand must be extra careful because their role is very important in preventing bleeding," he said.
Dengue can attack anyone, especially children who are the group with the highest risk. Therefore, parents need to recognize the warning signs and immediately seek medical help if symptoms such as severe abdominal pain or bleeding appear.
"Parents should not take fever in children lightly. If the symptoms lead to the danger signs of dengue, treatment must be carried out immediately," he added.
Preventive efforts need to be carried out comprehensively, starting from the implementation of 3M Plus to consulting with doctors regarding dengue immunization, which is now recommended for children aged 4-18 years.
Meanwhile, the President Director of PT Takeda Innovative Medicines, Andreas Gutknecht, emphasized the importance of collaboration between all parties.
"The burden of dengue in Indonesia is very large. Therefore, prevention must be a priority through consistent, collaborative, and innovative steps," he concluded.
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