What happens if you have dengue and the platelets in your blood go down?

With more than 2.7 million cases reported since the beginning of 2024, the region most affected by the dengue is he Southern Coneintegrated by Brazil, ArgentinaParaguay and Uruguay, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

It is an infection caused by a virus that is transmitted by the bites of female mosquitoes. Temples of the Egyptians infected. Only one in four people infected with the pathogen have symptomswhich can range from mild to serious.

In addition to the symptoms of the disease, it must be taken into account that the dengue can cause a sudden increase in hematocrit with rapid decrease in platelet count. These parameters can be known through a blood test.

Las platelets They are particles in the blood that help clotting. They are smaller than red and white blood cells.

The number of platelets in the blood can be affected by many diseases and their counting can be done to monitor or diagnose diseases, or to look for the cause of too much bleeding or clotting.

“Due to dengue infection, platelets can decrease. It is because the human body mistakenly produces antibodies against the virus, but generates a decrease in platelets,” he explained to Infobae Leda Guzziinfectious disease doctor and member of the Argentine Society of Infectology (SADI).

The most common symptom of dengue is fever along with nausea, vomiting, rash, aches and pains (eye pain, usually behind the eyes, muscle, joint or bone pain). But doctors also consider laboratory tests.

“A low platelet count may imply a greater risk of bleeding in the patient,” he told Infobae the doctor Gerardo Laubeinfectious disease doctor Muñiz Hospital from the city of Buenos Aires and professor of infectious diseases, travel medicine and microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Barceló Foundation.

“Between 48 and 72 hours after a patient has been diagnosed with dengue, a blood count analysis with platelets must be performed and evaluate if there is inflammation in the liver,” said the expert.

Depending on age, if you have any comorbidity such as diabetes or obesity, or warning signs, such as mucosal bleeding, among others, -according to Laube- the health team evaluates whether the patient requires hospitalization or continues with outpatient care. but with controls.

“Less than 10,000 platelets means that the dengue patient has a high risk of bleeding. But also with 50,000 platelets it could be worrying. Therefore, the health team must evaluate the platelet count in the context of the warning signs that the patient may have, such as nosebleeds or black stools,” commented Dr. Guzzi.

According to United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)warning signs for dengue usually begin 24 to 48 hours after the fever has gone.

If a person experiences any of the following symptoms, immediately go to the local medical center or emergency room:

• Stomach pain or tenderness
• Vomiting (at least 3 times in 24 hours)
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Vomiting blood or blood in the stool
• Feeling tired, restless, or irritable

It should be considered that after the patient has fever, the critical phase of dengue may occur, which generally lasts 24 to 48 hours. Most patients improve during this phase.

However, patients who have severe plasma extravasation develop severe dengue within a few hours. It means that the plasma has left the vessels to extracellular compartments, Laube explained.

Typically, the number of white blood cells begins to rise shortly after the fever goes away. The recovery in the number of platelets usually occurs later than that of white blood cells, depending on the Pan American Health Organization.

According to Dr. Guzzi, “there is no dietary restriction when a person has dengue. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen should not be prescribed, because they can worsen the platelet situation.” If there are no complications, platelets recover between 4 or 7 days. If it is a serious condition, it may take more than 2 weeks, the infectious disease specialist mentioned.

“In patients with dengue, it is common to have a low platelet count. One recommendation is to take care of yourself and not get hurt. But it does not mean that a platelet transfusion is inevitably required,” the doctor told Infobae. Andrea Uboldivice president of the Argentine Society of Vaccinology and Epidemiology (SAVE).

To increase the presence of platelets, a good diet can help. The consumption of vegetables is usually more recommended, such as spinach, beets, celery, carrots and red peppers, which are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.

It is also advisable to eat citrus fruits such as oranges, kiwi, lemons, strawberries, tangerines and guavas, they are essential to raise platelet levels. Dairy and eggs are foods rich in minerals such as iron, which is essential for the production of new blood cells and can help increase platelet levels.

Nuts such as walnuts, almonds and peanuts, and lean meats and fish can also promote an increase in the number of platelets.