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Unrecognized Dengue Virus Infections in Children, Western Kenya, 2014-2015
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|October 20, 2017
Insights
A dengue virus outbreak occurred in Kenyan children between 2014-2015. All four dengue serotypes were identified, indicating dengue fever is a significant cause of illness and necessitates improved arbovirus surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus with four serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4).
- Dengue is a major global health concern, causing millions of infections annually.
- Limited data exists on dengue epidemiology in specific regions of Kenya.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a suspected cluster of dengue virus infections in children in Kenya.
- To identify the circulating dengue serotypes during the outbreak.
- To assess the role of dengue virus as a cause of febrile illness in the studied population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratory data from pediatric patients.
- Dengue virus detection using molecular methods (e.g., RT-PCR).
- Serotyping of detected dengue virus strains.
Main Results:
- A significant cluster of dengue virus infections was identified in Kenyan children from July 2014 to June 2015.
- Dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) was the most prevalent serotype.
- All four dengue serotypes were detected, with evidence of co-infections involving multiple serotypes.
Conclusions:
- Dengue virus is an important etiological agent of febrile illness in children in this region of Kenya.
- The concurrent circulation of all four serotypes poses a significant risk for severe dengue and future epidemics.
- Enhanced arbovirus surveillance systems are crucial for early detection and response to dengue outbreaks in Kenya.
Abstract:
We detected a cluster of dengue virus infections in children in Kenya during July 2014-June 2015. Most cases were serotype 1, but we detected all 4 serotypes, including co-infections with 2 serotypes. Our findings implicate dengue as a cause of febrile illness in this population and highlight a need for robust arbovirus surveillance.
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