Department of Microbiology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad-500082.
Abstracts of the papers presented at the 16th Annual Convention and International Symposium of Indian Virological Society on “Management of Vector-Borne Viruses” at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru-502324, Hyderabad, India, February 7–10, 2006.
Dengue is an acute viral infection of major public health importance. It is probably the most important arthropod borne viral disease in terms of human morbidity and mortality. Dengue virus (DENV) is transmitted by vector Aedes aegypti, which is responsible for the epidemics. The spectrum of disease range from a self limited fever (Dengue Fever) to more severe forms of Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or Dengue shock syndrome (DSS). The lab diagnosis of DENV infection currently depends on isolation of infectious virus or detection of viral RNA by PCR or identification of virus specific antibodies. The aim of the study is to assess the utility of serology in establishing the diagnosis of Dengue fever. A total of 260 sera from clinically suspected cases of dengue were analyzed. 112 (43.7%) cases were positive for both IgG and IgM (Primary Dengue), 87 (33.46%) were IgG positive and IgM negative (secondary Dengue), 8 (3.07%) were negative for IgG and positive for IgM (Acute primary Dengue), While 53 (20.38%) sera were negative for both IgG and IgM. An attempt was made to identify the prevalence serotypes of the Dengue virus amongst the dengue cases by RT-PCR. 7/12 plasma samples were positive by RT-PCR for dengue virus and all seven cases were primary dengue fever.
