Clinical Profile of Dengue Fever in Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in India in 2018

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Dengue (Den gay, Dandy) is a mosquito-borne viral illness caused by one of the four serotypes of the dengue virus DENV; (DENV-1 to DENV-4) belonging to the family Flaviviridae. The virus serotypes are closely related but antigenically distinct. Dengue infections can result in a wide spectrum of disease severity ranging from an influenza-like illness (dengue fever; DF) to the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS). In recent decades, the incidence of dengue infection has increased around the world and has become a major international public health concern. The disease is now endemic in more than 110 tropical and subtropical countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there may be 50 million dengue infections worldwide every year (1-3). Infection with one serotype of DENV provides lifelong immunity to that serotype but results only in partial and transient protection against subsequent infection by the other three serotypes. It is possible for a person to be infected as many as four times, once with each serotype. It is well documented that sequential infection with different DENV serotypes increases the risk of developing DHF. Ninety percent of DHF infections occur in children less than 15 years of age. There is currently no specific treatment for DENV infection, although several potential vaccines are in development; therefore, the only method of preventing DENV transmission is vector (mosquito) control (4-6). Early clinical features of dengue infection are variable among patients, and initial symptoms are often nonspecific; therefore, specific laboratory tests are necessary for an accurate diagnosis (7-8). According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the WHO dengue guidelines, the clinical features of DF and DHF are sudden onset of fever, severe headache, myalgias and arthralgias, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hemorrhagic manifestations (8). It occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage, leading to death. Classic DF symptoms include fever, headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia and arthralgia nausea, vomiting, and often a rash. Some DF patients develop the more serious form of the disease DHF ABSTRACT Dengue infections can result in a wide spectrum of disease severity ranging from an influenza-like illness (dengue fever; DF) to the lifethreatening dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS). The study was aimed to compare the clinical profile of all patients diagnosed with dengue viral infection at NCMC. This retrospective study included 43 patients infected with dengue virus, age 18 years to 70 years. Laboratory and hematological data were included. Peak of infection occurred in Nov. 2018 and least number of cases were recorded in September 2018. Same observation was seen in previous year. Common clinical symptoms were fever, headache and myalgia. Common hematological abnormalities were thrombocytopenia and leucopoenia. All patients survived. There was no case of dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue s...

Epidemiology of Syphilis Among Blood Donors in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

“…However, no statistically significant relationship was obtained (p>0.05). Other authors have made the same observation [13,14,21]. Indeed, replacement blood donors may have limited knowledge or awareness about the risks and modes of transmission of syphilis.…”

Predictors of Mortality in Patients With Dengue Fever: Insights From a Comparative Analysis

“…Dengue is an arboviral illness, and female Aedes aegypti (A. aegypti) and Aedes albopictus (A. albopictus) are the main vectors. It is a single-strand ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus and has four serotypes (DEN1 to DEN4) [2]. Dengue is a disease of tropical and subtropical areas with frequent epidemics during the rainy season [3].…”