Why fevers rise in the monsoon
Standing water breeds mosquitoes that spread dengue and malaria, while contaminated water and street food raise the risk of typhoid. Pune sees a clear jump in cases from July to October.
Emptying water from coolers, pots and tyres around your home every week, and using repellent during the day when dengue mosquitoes bite, lowers the risk for the whole family.
How they usually differ
Dengue often brings sudden high fever, severe body and eye pain, and sometimes a rash. Malaria fevers can come with shivering chills that come and go. Typhoid tends to build slowly over several days with stomach upset and tiredness.
These are patterns, not rules — the symptoms overlap a lot, and more than one infection can occur at the same time.
Which tests help
A complete blood count, a dengue NS1 or antibody test, a malaria rapid test or smear, and a blood culture for typhoid are the usual options. Which ones are useful depends on the day of illness.
Your doctor will choose the right tests for your timeline, so you don’t pay for tests that can’t give an answer yet.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if a fever lasts more than 2 days, or sooner with severe pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding gums or drowsiness.
Keep drinking fluids, rest, and use paracetamol for fever and pain until you are seen.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor the same day if you notice:
- Severe stomach pain or repeated vomiting
- Bleeding from the gums or nose, or black stools
- Drowsiness, confusion or restlessness
- Cold, clammy hands and feet
- Very little urine over a day
In an emergency, call 108.
Every monsoon my clinic fills with fevers, and many patients arrive having already taken an over-the-counter painkiller. Please don’t: drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin can worsen bleeding if the fever turns out to be dengue. Paracetamol, fluids and rest are the safe start. Note the day you fell ill, because it decides which tests are useful. Most monsoon fevers recover well with early care. I ask patients to stay in touch on WhatsApp while they recover, so that we can act quickly if any of the warning signs above appear.
Frequently asked questions
References
- Dengue and severe dengue: fact sheet. World Health Organization, 2024.
- National Guidelines for Clinical Management of Dengue Fever. National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control, MoHFW, 2023.
- Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria in India. National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR).
This article is for general information and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. If you’re worried about your health, see a doctor. In an emergency, call 108.
