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Dengue virus infection in late pregnancy and transmission to the infants

Wanatpreeya Phongsamart1, Sutee Yoksan, Nirun Vanaprapa

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. wanatpreeya.phongsamart@utoronto.ca

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|April 25, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Vertical dengue virus transmission can occur, with infants showing varied symptoms at birth. However, long-term follow-up reveals no lasting health issues in infants infected with dengue virus during pregnancy.

Area of Science:

  • Virology and Infectious Diseases
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Vertical dengue virus transmission is rarely documented, with limited data on long-term infant outcomes and antibody responses.
  • This study presents the first report on vertical dengue transmission, including a 12-month follow-up of clinical outcomes and antibody kinetics in infants.
  • Understanding vertical dengue transmission is crucial for managing infections in endemic areas and protecting vulnerable newborns.

Observation:

  • Three mother-infant pairs with confirmed perinatal dengue infection were studied.
  • Maternal dengue infection occurred from 1 day to 5 weeks before delivery.
  • Infants presented with diverse clinical manifestations, ranging from sepsis-like illness to asymptomatic infection.

Findings:

  • Dengue virus serotypes 1 and 2 were identified in infected infants via RT-PCR and viral isolation.
  • All mothers and infants experienced uneventful recoveries.
  • One-year follow-up demonstrated normal growth and development in all infants, indicating no long-term sequelae from vertical transmission.

Implications:

  • Dengue virus infection during pregnancy can lead to acute febrile illness in mothers and sepsis-like illness in neonates.
  • Vertical dengue virus transmission does not appear to cause long-term health problems in infants.
  • This research highlights the importance of considering dengue in neonates presenting with sepsis-like symptoms in endemic regions.
Abstract

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