Break bone fever is also known as?

HPSSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: HPSSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Explanation

Dengue is colloquially known as 'breakbone fever.'.
This name is derived from the characteristic symptom of severe, deep muscle and joint pain (myalgia and arthralgia), which is so intense that patients feel as if their bones are breaking.
The condition is caused by the Dengue virus, a flavivirus transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Other classic symptoms include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and a skin rash.

Option A: Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite and transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. Its hallmark is cyclical fever with chills and rigors, not the severe, continuous bone and joint pain that gives Dengue its nickname.
Option C: Kala Azar, or visceral leishmaniasis, is a parasitic disease transmitted by sandflies. It is characterized by prolonged fever, weight loss, and significant enlargement of the spleen and liver (hepatosplenomegaly), not 'breakbone' pain.
Option D: Q fever is a bacterial infection caused by Coxiella burnetii, usually contracted from infected animals like sheep and cattle. It typically presents as an atypical pneumonia or hepatitis, and is not known for causing the severe arthralgia and myalgia of 'breakbone fever'.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Common name and characteristics of a vector-borne disease as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key nursing responsibility in managing suspected Dengue is patient education on supportive care, especially advising the use of paracetamol for fever and pain while strictly avoiding NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) and aspirin, which increase bleeding risk due to their antiplatelet effects.
Nurses play a crucial role in monitoring for and recognizing the warning signs of severe dengue (e.g., persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, mucosal bleeding, lethargy), as this indicates a progression to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) or Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS), which are medical emergencies.
What if? If a patient with suspected dengue develops bleeding gums and a falling platelet count, the nursing priority shifts from simple supportive care to preparing for aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation and intensive monitoring for shock, as these are signs of impending DHF.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of common medical terminology and disease synonyms.
First, identify the key phrase in the question stem: 'Break bone fever'.
Recall the defining symptoms of the diseases listed in the options.
The name 'break bone' strongly implies a condition characterized by severe pain in the bones and joints.
Evaluate the options: Dengue is famously associated with severe myalgia and arthralgia. Malaria is known for cyclical fevers, Kala Azar for visceral enlargement, and Q fever for pneumonia/hepatitis.
Based on this association, conclude that Dengue is the disease known as breakbone fever.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 180-182

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 1659-1661