Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025

A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease
Published on: April 28, 2019
Potential severe pediatric SARS-CoV-2-induced multisystem inflammatory syndrome resembles dengue infection
S Yuliarto1, W P Susanto1, K T Kadafi1
1Department of Pediatrics, Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Universitas Brawijaya Malang, Indonesia.
Insights
This case highlights a child initially diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) who rapidly deteriorated. Unusual symptoms suggested a potential misdiagnosis of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to SARS-CoV-2.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) are serious pediatric conditions.
- Both DHF and MIS-C can present with overlapping symptoms, posing diagnostic challenges.
Abstract:
We describe a child with acute fever and abdominal pain who developed rash and edema of extremities. Blood test revealed thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, positive dengue-IgM, and hypoalbuminemia with elevated procalcitonin. Right pleural effusion revealed from chest x-ray. Diagnosed as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) grade 1, however, at 7th day of illness, altered mental status, respiratory and circulatory failure occurred. Laboratory examination showed marked thrombocytopenia, transaminitis, metabolic acidosis, elevated D-dimer, decrease fibrinogen, and elevated cardiac marker (troponin I and CKMB). The patient then developed catecholamine-resistant shock and did not survive after 48 hours. Although rapid test of SARS CoV-2 infection was negative, rapid deterioration with some unusual clinical feature suggest multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This case raises an awareness of MIS-C that clinical features resemble dengue infection.
Related Concept Videos
Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...

