Dengue and Other Arbovirus Infections among Schoolchildren, Haiti, 2021

Area of Science:

• Arbovirology
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Arboviruses pose a significant threat to public health, particularly in tropical regions.
• Acute undifferentiated febrile illness is a common presentation of arboviral infections in children.
• Surveillance for arboviruses is crucial for understanding disease burden and outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate arbovirus infections in children presenting with acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Haiti.
• To identify the prevalence of specific arboviruses, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses.

Main Methods:

• A screening of 91 children in Haiti was conducted in 2021.
• Laboratory methods were used to detect and identify arbovirus infections.

Main Results:

• Dengue virus type 2 was identified as the predominant cause, with 67% of children testing positive.
• Chikungunya virus (East/Central/South African IIa subclade) and Zika virus were also detected in a small number of cases.

Conclusions:

• The study identified a major dengue virus type 2 outbreak in Haiti in 2021.
• Arboviral infections, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, represent a considerable health concern in the studied population.