Assessment of dengue hemorrhagic fever in Myanmar

This study assesses the burden of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and effectiveness of an intervention package in Myanmar. Disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost for fatal and non-fatal DHF cases and DALYs averted due to intervention for DHF from 1970-1997 were estimated. The data are based on reported cases and deaths from DHF extracted from annual reports of the Myanmar vector borne disease control program. Sensitivity analyses were performed for robustness of conclusions. DALYs lost from both fatal and non-fatal DHF cases in Myanmar were estimated as 83.83 DALYs per year per million population (range = 83.33-86.32) for the period 1970-1997. DALYs averted from DHF due to intervention were estimated as 134 DALYs per year per million population (range = 47-159). The burden of DHF in Myanmar for the selected year 1990 was 91.3 DALYs per year per million population (range = 90.1-96.5). A comparison was made with China, India and other Asian countries based on information provided by a World Bank study.