Vitamin D in fighting dengue

The dengue situation in Bangladesh is deteriorating every year. This year, both the number of deaths and infected people are increasing at an alarming rate. The death toll from the mosquito-borne disease has already crossed 1,300 till Saturday. The country also saw more than 260,000 hospitalisations due to dengue, according to the Directorate General of Health Services. Until 2018, dengue outbreaks were mainly confined to Dhaka city. But these years, it has spread all over the country. From children to the elderly, no one seems to be immune to dengue. The severity of dengue infection is also much higher than before. Some studies have shown a possible association of vitamin D deficiency with severe and complicated dengue fever. A recently-conducted study of dengue patients found that the patients who received a particular amount of vitamin D daily had a reduced risk of developing severe dengue syndrome. This vitamin is an immunomodulatory hormone that can be an appropriate choice as a potential drug against dengue.
Vitamin D is popularly known as an enabler of calcium absorption, which is required for bone health. However, it also helps fight off infection by regulating the activity of immune cells. Multiple studies have shown that vitamin D helps immune response in case of over inflammation. So, dengue patients should be suggested regular intake of vitamin D. The easiest way to get it is through the skin. An exposure window of 15 minutes early morning can do this. Vitamin D is also found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, fish oil, beef liver, egg yolk, cheese, soy, orange juice, etc. However, it is better to take sunlight at regular intervals than food.
Samia Jahan Shefa,
Student of Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology,
Jashore University of Science and Technology,
shefasamia8@gmail.com