Abstract

Introduction: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has rapidly spread in all regions of WHO in recent years. Dengue virus is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti. These mosquitoes are also vectors of chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika viruses. Dengue causes a wide spectrum of disease. This can range from subclinical disease (people may not know they are even infected) to severe flu-like symptoms in those infected. Although less common, some people develop severe dengue, which can be any number of complications associated with severe bleeding, organ impairment or plasma leakage. Aims and objectives of this study are to know the prevalence of acute dengue viral infection in cases presenting with clinical features suggestive of Dengue through seroanalysis at Kamineni Hospital, Narketpally, Telangana.
Materials & Methods: This study is a hospital based cross-sectional study conducted in the year 2018-2019 in the Department of Microbiology,Kamineni Hospital, Narketpally, Telangana state from August 2018 to March 2019. A total of 120 blood samples collected from patients admitted in Kamineni Hospital with clinical features suggestive of Dengue fever. The serum samples were tested for IgM antibodies for dengue virus by dengue IgM capture ELISA. All the patients’ serum samples were tested for dengue IgM antibodies by IgM capture ELISA. This test is a solid phase immunoassay, based on an immunocapture principle.
Data analysis: The data was spread over excel sheet and the results were expressed as percentages and represented with tables wherever required.
Results: 72 were males and 48 were females, most of the cases were of the 10-20 age group. Most of the cases reported were from the young age groups.52 samples were positive for IgM antibodies to Dengue. More number of positive cases is among the males. The common clinical features among all the patients admitted was fever (100%) followed by headache (n=96, 80%), arthralgia (n=93,80%). The prevalence of dengue was found more among the rural population (n=33, 49.2%) when compared to the urban population (n=19, 35.8%).
Conclusion: The prevalence of dengue infection was more among 0-10yrs age group (48.2%).A significant association was observed between dengue seropositivity and the clinical presentation of the study population i.e., hepatosplenomegaly, conjunctival congestion, skin rash, retro bulbar pain and hemorrhagic manifestations.