How chronic illness can raise the risk of severe dengue
Health experts warn that individuals with chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension face a higher risk of severe dengue complications. The warning comes as cases rise significantly in Malaysia, driven by a shift in the dominant virus strain.
Why it matters
Understanding the intersection of chronic health conditions and infectious diseases is critical for public health management and individual risk mitigation during outbreaks.
Dengue can be more dangerous in people with chronic illnesses, while a second infection with a different virus type may also increase the risk of severe disease. (Pixabay pic)
PETALING JAYA: Grace Ooi thought she knew what dengue felt like. She had first contracted the illness in secondary school and spent several days in hospital.
But when dengue struck again in 2013, the experience was far more severe. Her fever rose and fell for almost a week, and by the time she was admitted, her platelet count had dropped to single digits.
She needed a blood transfusion and spent three days in intensive care.
“I didn’t know a second dengue infection could be more severe, or that having hypertension could make things worse,” said Grace, now 45 and living with diabetes and hypertension.
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