Characterization of Hospitalized Patients With Dengue Fever in Can Tho City: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, 2018-2019

Dengue poses a significant public health issue in tropical and subtropical countries, especially in urban areas. Can Tho, the fourth-largest city in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, is highly vulnerable to climate change. This study characterizes dengue fever (DF) and identifies factors linked to severe disease in hospitalized patients from 2018 to 2019. We analyzed the clinical manifestations of 123 patients, along with blood count tests, RT-PCR, the NS1 antigen rapid test, and ELISA for IgM and IgG antibodies, upon admission. The results revealed that 88.6% of dengue patients were under 15 years, primarily treated at Can Tho Pediatric Hospital, with 66.7% experiencing secondary infections. Warning signs included high fever, rapid pulse, abdominal pain (54.4%), nausea/vomiting (43.2%), and bleeding (5.7%). DEN-1, DEN-2, and DEN-4 circulated during the study, with DEN-1 predominating in 2018 (85.7%) and both DEN-1 and DEN-2 as primary causes in 2019 (52.2% and 39.1%, respectively). The DEN-2 serotype and secondary infections may significantly contribute to severe dengue, and further research on dengue immunity is essential for understanding the effects of dengue vaccination.