A study on the outbreak of dengue fever in a tertiary care children’s hospital in southern Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Background: Dengue fever is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in the world.Incidence has increased 230-fold with increasing geographic expansion with potential for further spread. The rapidly expanding global footprint of dengue is a public health challenge with an economic burden. This study’s objective is to assess the outbreak of epidemic of dengue fever in a tertiary care children hospital and to describe their socio-demographic, clinical outcome and serological profile.Methods: It is an observational descriptive study conducted for a period of 1 year in less than 12 years old children in a tertiary care hospital at Southern Tamil Nadu.Results: Among the 360 children admitted with dengue fever, there were 198 boys (55%) and 162 (45%) were girls. Maximum incidence of dengue incidence was seen in infants less than 1 year (25%). The highest number of cases were admitted during September and October. The most common affected age group was less than 3 years with 179 (49%). Among the cases, 297 (82%) were of severe dengue which constitute dengue haemorrhagic fever-183(38%) and Dengue shock syndrome 114 (62%). Serological analysis showed NS1 Ag was positive in 144 children (40%), Dengue IgM was positive in 54 children (15%), both IgM and IgG positive in 126 children (35%) and IgG was positive in 36 children (10%). Out of the total children admitted with dengue fever, the case fatality was 0.5% (2 children).Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of WHO clinical criteria for early diagnosis of severe dengue. Moreover, the early and intensive management reduces the mortality significantly.

Epidemiological analysis of dengue’s one-year laboratory data in a tertiary care center in Western India

“…The male-to-female ratio was 1.20:1. Similar findings were reported by Sharma et al and Premkumar et al 10,11 The pattern of male predominance is consistent with the reports from several other countries and could be on account of (i) greater exposure of males to denguecarrying mosquitoes or (ii) differences in the healthcareseeking behavior of males and females. 2,11 An excess of male patients for most diseases and conditions was observed among young children.…”

“…Similar findings were reported by Sharma et al and Premkumar et al 10,11 The pattern of male predominance is consistent with the reports from several other countries and could be on account of (i) greater exposure of males to denguecarrying mosquitoes or (ii) differences in the healthcareseeking behavior of males and females. 2,11 An excess of male patients for most diseases and conditions was observed among young children. Unlike adolescents and young adults, such an excess of young male patients was observed for both outpatients and inpatients with no indication that boys were preferentially being brought to health care.…”

“…Findings are very much similar to other studies. 2,9,10,11 Among the patients investigated by the Serology laboratory, dengue-suspected cases, as well as positivity, were statistically higher in males as compared with females in both pediatric as well adult age groups. The male-to-female ratio was 1.20:1.…”