Study of Clinical and Laboratory Profile in Patients With Dengue Fever at A Tertiary Care Center in Central Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease transmitted from person to person by Aedes mosquitoes which result in a wide spectrum of disease severity ranging from influenza-like illness (dengue fever; DF) to the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)/dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Terai regions of Nepal were focal epidemics of Dengue infections during the outbreak in 2010, 2013, and 2016. Dengue infections have been reported in the valleys of upland Hill regions at an altitude of 2500 m above sea level in Nepal.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among febrile patients in Nepal Police Hospital (NPH), from 1st Baisakh 2076 to 30th Chaitra 2076. Blood samples were collected from dengue presumed cases and tested against dengue specific IgM antibody and/or NS1antigen. Clinical examination findings were recorded, hematological and biochemical parameters tests were done among the patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria.

Results: A total of 87 dengue cases were included in the study during the study period. Out of these, the majority were males ( 85.05%) from Kathmandu (38/87; 43.67%) seen in the month of Asoj (40/87; 45.98%). Fever was the major symptom (100%) followed by myalgia (52.87%), headache (45.97%), retro-orbital pain (12.64%), bleeding manifestations (9.19%). Common hematological abnormalities were thrombocytopenia and leucopenia in the critical phase. There was no case of dengue shock syndrome.

Conclusion: This study highlights the utilization of most common clinical and easily available laboratory profiles of dengue viral infections in particular season and place that could alert physicians to diagnose early to reduce morbidity and mortality due to dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.