Incidence of dengue in a tertiary care centre--Kasturba Hospital, Manipal

Dengue is the most important Arbovirus in the world in terms of occurrence and impact. It has been responsible for some devastating outbreaks and accounts for nearly 50-100 million cases of dengue fever and 2-5 lac cases of the dengue hemorrhagic fever worldwide. Dengue is caused by an arbovirus, which belongs to the Flaviviridae and is maintained in nature principally through biological transmission between susceptible vertebrate hosts by hematophagous arthropods. The incidence and global distribution of dengue has greatly increased in recent years and affects almost every country between the topics of Capricorn and Cancer. Although outbreaks of dengue fever has been occurring with regularity all over the country, and there have been 2 reported outbreaks in the neighboring district Mangalore in 1993 and 1996, there has been no reported outbreak in Manipal, which is what is responsible for the present study. In the study, out of the 100 clinically suspected cases of dengue, 44% tested positive for dengue IgM antibody, thus proving current dengue infection. Twenty six cases were from Shimoga district, which indicates increased dengue virus activity in this area and the possible endemicity in the region.