[The diagnosis of dengue in Mexico: an update and outlook]

Few diseases have unique clinical findings sufficient to identify them. Dengue fever is not one of them, being necessary the clinical and laboratory support to confirm its diagnosis. Since dengue virus was first isolated, there has been a worldwide effort to develop cheaper and more accurate serologic diagnostic tests. Dengue hemorrhagic fever deserves closer attention because of its devastating clinical effects and lethal outcomes. In addition to the wide circulation of serotypes 1, 2 and 4 for over a decade in the Americas, the presence of Den-3 was detected again in 1994 since its last appearance in 1963 and 1977. Given the high rates of vectorial infestation and the presence of a susceptible population, the probability of circulation of this serotype in our continent is high. The present work defines the wide range of diagnostic methods available today, their advantages and disadvantages, and their importance in the epidemiological surveillance of dengue fever in Mexico.