Bacterial sepsis in dengue fever - A paediatric perspective

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Pediatrics
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Dengue fever is a prevalent arthropod-borne viral illness globally.
• Concurrent bacterial sepsis in dengue fever patients is an underrecognized complication.
• Understanding sepsis risk factors in dengue is critical for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and characteristics of bacterial sepsis in children with dengue fever.
• To identify clinical indicators associated with sepsis in pediatric dengue patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study involving 124 pediatric patients (3 months to 18 years) with dengue fever.
• Analysis of patient demographics, clinical presentation, hospital stay, and laboratory markers, including PCT.
• Comparison of characteristics between dengue patients with and without concurrent sepsis.

Main Results:

• The incidence of concurrent sepsis in pediatric dengue patients was 10.4% (13/124).
• Sepsis was more common in children aged 0-5 years (53.8%) and associated with longer hospital stays (53.8%), shock (76.9%), and elevated PCT (100%).
• Blood cultures were positive in 5 out of 13 sepsis cases.

Conclusions:

• Young children with dengue fever, especially those presenting with shock, are at higher risk for sepsis.
• Elevated procalcitonin (PCT) is a significant indicator of sepsis in dengue patients.
• Routine antibiotic use in dengue is not recommended, but early sepsis screening and treatment are vital for high-risk pediatric cases.