MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 62,503 dengue cases from January to August 21 this year. This is 88.8% higher than the 33,102 cases recorded during the same period last year, breaching the 57,636 cases recorded in the whole of 2009, and the highest ever recorded in the country.

DOH-National Epidemiology Center Head Eric Tayag credited the El Niño phenomenon, the presence of four dengue strains, and improved reporting for the higher number of cases.

On Thursday, Tayag said the death toll from dengue stood at 465, lower than the 548 deaths last year. With dengue cases rising in the National Capital Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Western Visayas, Tayag added that trends suggest the number of dengue cases could go as high as 80,000.

The DOH has taken its information drive to the Light Rail Transit, where it distributed leaflets to train passengers on Thursday to educate them on how they can prevent the further spread of dengue.

No anti-dengue antidote

Information may be the most reliable antidote today against an infection that has no specific treatment, except for appropriate medical care and blood transfusion.

Many believe it is also important to solve the problem at source -- the stagnant water where the dengue virus-carrying Aedes mosquitoes breed. The DOH advocates getting rid of these breeding grounds like rubber tires, and clearing receptacles that may have allowed water to collect.

But one company proposes another solution.

A cheaper alternative

Mykl Trading Incorporated has developed Kiti Kiti X, a larvicidal-- a formula that kills mosquito larvae while they're still in the water.

"We're using a concentration for flies," said Lyle Herbosa, Marketing Manager of Mykl Trading Incorporated on ANC's "The Rundown".  "Accidentally, one of the directors of the Corporation used it on larvae and it was successful. It is non-toxic and 100% effective and the effectiveness can last up to 11 months."
    
Herbosa said the calcium-based powder is directly applied to stagnant water and can produce results anywhere from 8 to 24 hours.
    
Herbosa added he has brought the product to be tested at the Department of Entomology in UP Los Baños and it has since been accredited by the Bureau of Food and Drugs, and registered. Despite pushing for it with the DOH, Herbosa said the agency is tied down to using the imported larvicidal approved by the World Health Organization.
    
According to Herbosa, results were remarkable when they tested the product against dengue in Bacolod in December 2007. In 2008, he said dengue cases registered a 26% drop in the first quarter, and cases had a staggering 86% drop in the last quarter of the year, from 2,124 to 304 cases.
    
He added they have received trial orders for the product in Calamba City, Sta. Rosa, and other barangays in Cabuyao, Laguna and Silay City.
    
Herbosa said the Kiti-Kiti X is a cheaper alternative to other larvicidals available in the market, costing a mere P419 per kilo compared to P5,000 per kilo for other larvicidals.
    
"Any pesticide in the market is less toxic but they cannot claim it's non-toxic, unlike this product." Herbosa said, adding he is trying to sell the product to local government units. 

He estimated that with 1,000 grams or a kilo of the powder for every 1,000 liters of stagnant water, a barangay may need 10 bags each. And those who have 10 confirmed dengue cases should subject the home of the victims and the school or office where they belong to treatment.
    
Former Health Secretary Jaime Galvez Tan said communities with pools of stagnant water would benefit from the alternative product in efforts to control the proliferation of the dengue mosquito.

Natural treatment

Tan also believes the government should step up efforts to improve research on alternative treatments.
    
"It's about time government invests. I agree with more honest labelling, but government should not just regulate but also put money in research," he said. 
    
Tan has been advocating for the production of herbal medicine to fight dengue, particularly the "tawa-tawa" known by its scientific name Euphorbia hirta. He has been pushing for the herb's use in the anti-dengue drive since a serious dengue scare hit the country several years back. 

"What is P20 million to find out the genuine efficacy of 'tawa-tawa'? said Tan, adding it could cost half of that for random clinical trial. The DOH is still studying the effectiveness of the plant, but has raised concern over the possibility of toxicity with overdosage.

"There is no remedy for the dengue virus but there is a remedy for stopping the hemorrhage, the real complication of dengue. The Euphorbia hirta  is a known hemostatic, and keeps bleeding at bay. It stops the bleeding and increases the platelet count of a person with dengue."

While the tea is not readily available in the market, Tan said it grows everywhere in the wild.

In the absence of any direct treatment for dengue, Tan said there are other natural remedies. He cited red, orange, and yellow-colored natural fruit juices which are rich in anti-oxidants, and vitamins A and C as those that can help increase immunity against disease. He added the juice from boiled kamote tops, kangkong tops, sili leaves, malunggay, and saluyot are also anti-inflammatory.

"Virgin coconut oil has been proven to be an effective anti-viral by destroying viruses," Tan said, noting one tablespoon of the oil taken three times a day can help improve one's immunity against dengue. Tan himself has made this a habit, even as it is still undergoing clinical trials for dengue treatment.