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Updated: Apr 13, 2026
Protocol for Dengue Infections in Mosquitoes A. aegypti and Infection Phenotype Determination
Published on: July 4, 2007
Demographic trend in dengue infection
Raja Rajeswari1, Radhika Raman, N P Nivek
1Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Insights
Rainfall correlates with increased dengue fever cases in Indian children. Severe dengue infections peaked in 2019, 2021, and 2022, highlighting the need for adaptive vector control strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Dengue fever is a significant cause of tropical fevers in hospitalized Indian children, particularly those under 15.
- Existing knowledge gaps regarding dengue's epidemiological factors necessitate further investigation.
- Understanding demographic trends is crucial for managing dengue's impact on pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical profile of dengue infection in children.
- To analyze demographic trends of confirmed dengue cases over a five-year period.
- To correlate environmental factors like rainfall with dengue incidence.
Main Methods:
- An observational study was conducted on pediatric inpatients diagnosed with dengue via serology over five years.
- Data analysis included percentage calculations for categorical data and T-tests for rainfall correlation.
- Correlation plots analyzed dengue incidence during COVID-19 years, and line plots tracked the trend of severe dengue cases.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was observed between rainfall and an increased incidence of dengue cases.
- Dengue cases showed a reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic years.
- The severity of dengue presentations increased in 2019, 2021, and 2022.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors, such as rainfall, significantly influence dengue's epidemiological trends in children.
- The study highlights a concerning trend of increasing dengue severity in recent years.
- Findings can inform adaptive vector control strategies to mitigate dengue's impact.
Background Objectives:
Dengue fever is one of the most common causes of undifferentiated tropical fevers in hospitalized children across India with the highest recorded morbidity and mortality in children less than 15 years of age. Although common, there is still a knowledge gap regarding its epidemiological factors. The aim of this work was to study the clinical profile and demographic trend over the past 5 years in children with confirmed dengue infection.
Methods:
This was an observational study of children admitted as in-patients over the past 5 years and diagnosed with dengue infection by serology. Categorical data were presented as percentages. Data regarding rainfall was collected from rainfall statistics from the Indian Meteorological department and correlated based on the T-test. The incidence of dengue infection in COVID-19 predominant years was analyzed using the correlation plot and trend of severe dengue infection over the years was noted by a line plot.
Results:
The study showed a positive correlation between rainfall and an increase in the incidence of cases. There were relatively reduced number of cases during COVID-19 which was interpreted from the correlation plot. The line plot determined the trend of severity of presentation and more severe cases presented in the years 2019, 2021 and 2022.
Interpretation Conclusion:
Other than the pathophysiology, studies to understand the change in the severity of clinical presentation every year could help in augmenting vector control measures.
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