Via The Times of India: Dengue-like flu stumps doctors too. Never having heard of this, I'm stumped as well. Excerpt:
CHANDIGARH: If you are coughing, running fever which persists for over a week, the viral could be similar to dengue. City hospitals are getting patients coming with dengue-like symptoms, which make it difficult for doctors to figure out if it is dengue or dengue-like flu.
Consequently the treatment gets delayed and if its dengue, the condition can become severe, making treatment difficult.
Dr R S Bedi, a city-based paediatrician said, "Besides dengue cases we are seeing dengue-like flu in which too there is reduction in platelet count. There are around 20-25 children coming to my clinic with this condition." It is during this time of the season that there are dengue cases and also viruses which result in fever and body aches.
"The fever continues for more than a week in flu and dengue cases. To confirm our diagnosis we recommend platelet count tests after three-four days of fever and continuous monitoring of the count," said Dr Bedi. Doctors recommend not getting platelet count done on the first day of the fever as this is bound to fluctuate.
"Patients who come with fever and body aches get platelet count done on the first day. It is not necessary that the count will go below normal immediately. It might take three to four days. Some of these patients stop taking the right treatment and then the problem becomes severe and untreatable," said Dr Abhinav Sharma, a city-based physician.
Panchkula-based paediatrician Rajendra Setty said, "We see 30-40 such dengue-like flu cases among children daily. Dengue is self-limiting and we do not advice antiplatelet drugs like ibuprofen (given during fever) as they also further reduce platelet count."
