Dengue epidemiology in Thanjavur and Trichy district, Tamilnadu--Jan 2011-Dec 2011

Dengue infection is emerging as a serious public health problem in Tamil Nadu. An enhanced surveillance system can generate information on the epidemiology of the disease, which is essential for planning and development of relevant control/preventive measures against Dengue.

A prospective descriptive study was undertaken between January 2011 to December 2011, by testing suspected Dengue patients attending Thanjavur Medical College and Trichy Hospital (TMCH, a major Government referral hospital in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India) to define the magnitude of Dengue burden, the natural history of this disease in terms of clinical presentation and outcome of the infections in hospitalized Dengue patients. The sera collected from suspected patients were analyzed for Dengue specific IgM and IgG antibodies by IgM antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using NIV kit and IgGPanBio Duo Rapid Immunochromatographic Card Test (Brisbane, Australia). The clinical case definition by World Health Organization was adopted to categorize the Dengue cases.

The total number of samples screened during the period was 200, out of which 79 (39.5%) were positive for IgM and IgG antibodies and 65 (32%) for IgM antibodies only. By clinical evaluation, Dengue fever was diagnosed in 43 patients, 18 had hemorrhagic manifestations and four patients had progressed to DSS. Though (DSS+DHF) was present in 22 patients, all of them recovered well.

In developing countries like India, building of laboratory with advanced capacity for diagnosis and combat-mode ready preparedness for the management of Dengue cases in emergency situation may reduce Dengue-related mortality.