The disease has more than 1.6 million cases and warns of kidney complications

Brazil faces a serious public health challenge amid the spread of dengue, with the latest data from the Ministry of Health pointing to more than 1.6 million likely cases of the disease in 2024. According to the Arbovirus Panel, released in On Wednesday (13), the country recorded 467 dengue-related deaths.

Deaths are predominantly linked to serious cases of the disease, especially dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can result in serious health complications. Among these complications, acute renal failure stands out, a condition that affects around 5% of seriously ill dengue patients, according to experts.

“We believe that the main mechanisms are associated with hemodynamic changes, however, after injecting the dengue virus into adult mice, proliferative glomerular lesions have already been found in the second week of the study”comments Natália Daniel, nephrologist at Hospital BP (Beneficência Portuguesa), in an interview.

Injuries to the glomeruli, microscopic structures responsible for filtering blood, can lead to the loss of protein in the urine and reduced kidney function. Additionally, dengue-related shock is also a possibility in severe cases of the infection, although the exact causes are still under investigation.

_{Kidney failure has been shown to be a worrying symptom for those with dengue fever (Photo: reproduction/Freepik)}

Renal failure and its consequences

Acute renal failure is characterized by rapid deterioration in the kidneys' ability to filter waste, salts and fluids from the blood. This can lead to a build-up of harmful substances in the blood, affecting its chemical composition.

Data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) reveal that more than 700,000 people died in Brazil due to kidney failure between 2006 and 2019. Men, especially those of advanced age and a history of hemorrhagic fever, diabetes, obesity or previous chronic kidney disease , are more likely to develop this condition.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of acute kidney failure include decreased urine production, fluid retention, drowsiness, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, fatigue, mental confusion, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, convulsions or coma may occur.

The Brazilian Society of Nephrology highlights that, in some situations, acute renal failure can be asymptomatic, being detected only through routine laboratory tests.

Featured Photo: dengue epidemic in Brazil has already reached the mark of more than 400 deaths from the disease (Reproduction/Fiocruz)