Dengue as a Cause of Fever in Vietnam
Author Information
Author(s): Phuong Hoang Lan, Peter J de Vries, Tran TT Nga, Giao Phan, Hung Le Q, Binh Tran Q, Nam Nguyen V, Nico Nagelkerke, Piet A Kager
Primary Institution: Division of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Hypothesis
What is the frequency of dengue as a cause of fever in Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam?
Conclusion
Dengue is responsible for one third of the fevers presented to the public primary health services in Binh Thuan, southern Vietnam.
Supporting Evidence
- Acute dengue was found in 33.6% of cases.
- Past dengue virus infections were found in 57.1% of cases.
- Acute primary infections were more common among children under 15 years old than among adults.
Takeaway
Dengue is a common cause of fever in Vietnam, but many doctors don't recognize it because it can look like other illnesses.
Methodology
Patients with acute undifferentiated fever were included, and serum samples were collected for serological diagnosis.
Potential Biases
The clinical diagnosis of dengue was often inaccurate due to non-specific symptoms.
Limitations
The study may underestimate the true incidence of dengue due to difficulties in obtaining paired sera from young children.
Participant Demographics
The study included a diverse population from rural and urban areas in Binh Thuan Province.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.025
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.079 – 3.635
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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