[Molecular and serological diagnosis of a dengue outbreak in Coro, Falcón state, Venezuela]

Dengue virus (DV) is responsible for a spectrum of diseases, from a self-limited fever disease (DF, dengue fever) to the more severe forms of hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). The aim of this study was the serological and molecular confirmation of an outbreak of dengue in Falcon state, Venezuela. A total of 54 sera from patients with clinical diagnosis of DV infection were analyzed by an enzyme immunoassays developed in Venezuela (ELISA -IgM e -IgG) and by PCR. From them, 78% exhibited DV infection (PCR+ y/o IgM+), 48% exhibited viremia by PCR and 57% were positive to IgM. An interesting observation was the high percent (76%) of patients with past or secondary infection (IgG positive), which included all the patients exhibiting clinical symptoms of DHF (n = 8). From the PCR positive sera, serotype 1 was found in 27%, serotype 2 in 54% and serotype 4 in 19%. No serotype 3 was found circulating in this population, although this serotype was already circulating in the nearby island of Aruba. The combination of serological and molecular methods allow us to obtain a fairly precise information of this outbreak.