Treatment and Control
Aside from provision of nursing care, and maintaining nutrition and fluid balance, there are no specific remedies for infections. Nonspecific measures, particularly treatment of shock (maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance) may be life-saving in dengueshock syndrome cases.
Vector control is applicable in certain situations. Fred Soper and co-workers in the 1930s eradicated A. aegypti from all of Brazil, thus eliminating the risk of urban yellow fever. The mosquito has reinvaded much of the territory formerly freed, and the threat of yellow fever has returned. Short-term vector control is widely practiced, particularly when epidemics threaten. This may include airplane spraying of insecticides, treatment of interior walls of buildings with residual insecticides, insecticide treatment of mosquito breeding places, destruction or drainage of mosquito breeding places, screening of dwellings, use of insecticidal fogs in and around dwellings, use of insect repellents, and wearing of protective clothing.
The attenuated live yellow fever virus vaccine (17D) has been used for over 50 years in the successful immunization of millions of people. A live attenuated dengue virus vaccine is being tried. A killed Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine is given to millions of people in the Orient. A killed RSSE virus vaccine is used extensively in parts of the former Soviet Union. Killed virus vaccines against eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, and Rift Valley fever virus are used primarily to protect livestock. Laboratory workers studying these viruses are routinely immunized.
Wilbur G. Downs