Pericardial effusion in dengue haemorrhagic fever

Acute shock in severe dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) may occur concurrently with accumulation of fluid in serous body spaces such as pleural, peritoneal and pericardial cavities. Echocardiography is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure which is sensitive to detect even a small quantity of pericardial effusion. The chest radiogram in two reported cases of DHF associated with severe shock revealed that almost half of the pleural cavity was filled with fluid. Although no signs of pericardial effusion could be determined on physical examination, ECG and radiological procedures, a small amount of fluid was clearly seen on echocardiogram.