Abstract
<i>Background:</i> Dengue fever is a very common viral infection with potential serious complications and is one of the WHO challenges to limit its spread especially in view of lacking specific treatment or approved vaccine. We noticed over long time frequent cases of dengue fever with some characteristic laboratory findings particularly leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and elevated liver enzymes. These findings sometimes give concerns about safety of the patients so admission and sometimes isolation that could be unnecessary for some patients. <i>Objectives:</i> To present our data about variable clinical presentations and laboratory changes associated with dengue fever infection in adults and complications encountered in our institute in Saudi Arabia. So that we can give recommendations about the diagnosis, management and protection. <i>Methods:</i> We included all dengue fever positive cases starting September 2007 till end of December 2014. The data gathered through tracking the records of patients requested for Dengue fever serology in the main laboratory of the International Medical Centre (IMC). Data for analysis: Age, gender, characteristic laboratory changes, clinical manifestations and complications. <i>Results:</i> Dengue fever is a self-limiting viral infection in the majority of cases. Incidence of dengue infection in males: females is 2:1. Dengue fever manifestations in order of frequency: Fever, body aches, gastro intestinal symptoms, headache, and skin rash and chest symptoms. Incidence of complications in our study was 5.5%.
Highlights
Dengue fever is a viral infection endemic in tropical and subtropical areas [1], [15]
We based the diagnosis on positive dengue serology IgM or anti nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) in our institute as well as positive PCR in the central laboratory of the MOH which goes with the literature way for Dengue diagnosis [30], [35]
In our study the recovery time was average of 3-5 days for hematological and liver enzyme changes going with the literature data about viremia average of 5 days [23], [28] which is positively correlated with the clinical manifestations as at the time viremia subsides, fever settles and symptoms would start to resolve [29], [31]
Summary
Dengue fever is a viral infection endemic in tropical and subtropical areas [1], [15]. Its incidence and distribution on the map dramatically changed over the last decades [24] which makes it a global health concern It is caused by dengue virus which is a single stranded RNA virus belongs to the family flaviviridae with four recognized serotypes (DENV1 to DENV4) [1], [2], [13]. We noticed over long time frequent cases of dengue fever with some characteristic laboratory findings leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and elevated liver enzymes. These findings sometimes give concerns about safety of the patients so admission and sometimes isolation that could be unnecessary for some patients.
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