Abstract
Background: The global prevalence of dengue has increased dramatically in recent decades, with currently 50 million clinical cases and up to 5 million hospitalisations annually. Caused by one of five closely related but antigenically distinct virus serotypes (DEN-1 to DEN-5), dengue is an emerging mosquito-borne viral disease and an important public health problem in Nepal. Objectives: This study was designed to determine the occurrence of dengue in clinically suspected patient in Narayani Zone, Central Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2011 at Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur, the fifth largest city of Nepal. A total of 590 blood samples were collected and processed for anti-dengue immunoglobulin (Ig)M by antibody isotype-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Positive detection of anti-dengue IgM was found in 8.5% of patients (50/590 cases). The highest number of dengue cases was observed in the 21-30 years age group with greater predilection in males than in females. The positive cases showed higher frequency in winter season than at other times of year. There was a significantly greater prevalence of dengue among residents of urban locations compared to those from rural areas. Conclusions: A high percentage of dengue positivity among suspected patients demands early investigation and careful management to prevent significant outbreaks of dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever.
Highlights
Dengue Virus (DV) is a positive-strand RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family
The viral infection in humans causes a spectrum of illness ranging from asymptomatic or mild febrile illness, i.e. Dengue Fever (DF) to severe disease forms, i.e. Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) [3]
For the denguepositive cases for which data were collected, patients came from eleven locations, six of which were within Chitwan and a further five were in neighbouring districts (Figure 1)
Summary
Dengue is an acute febrile illness caused by transmission of this virus from human to human via species of Aedesaegypti and, less frequently, A. albopictus mosquitoes [1]. Five DV serotypes, DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4 and DEN-5, are responsible for the disease, the last of which was discovered only very recently [2]. The viral infection in humans causes a spectrum of illness ranging from asymptomatic or mild febrile illness, i.e. Dengue Fever (DF) to severe disease forms, i.e. Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) [3]. Secondary Dengue Virus Infection (DVI) is associated mainly with the severe form of the disease [3]. Caused by one of five closely related but antigenically distinct virus serotypes (DEN-1 to DEN-5), dengue is an emerging mosquito-borne viral disease and an important public health problem in Nepal
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