Skip to main content
Log in

Dengue virus infection among children with undifferentiated fever in Karachi

The Indian Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Sera were collected from a total of 122 children, comprising 117 cases with undifferentiated fever and 5 cases with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), during June to September 1994 in Karachi, Pakistan. Sera were tested by the IgM-capture ELISA using dengue type 1 (D1), dengue type 2 (D2), West Nile (WN), and Japanese encephalitis (JE) viral antigens. Among 92 single sera from undifferentiated fever cases, IgM antibodies were detected in 5 cases by D1, 8 cases by D2, and 5 cases by WN antigens, respectively. Corresponding number of positives among 25 paired sera from undifferentiated fever cases were 3 by D1, 6 by 02, and 1 by WN antigen. Four out of 5 DHF cases possessed anti-D1 as well as anti-D2 IgM antibodies. Only a single DHF case was positive for anti-WN IgM antibodies. Anti-JE IgM antibodies were not detected in any of the tested serum specimens.

Clinical manifestations of undifferentiated fever patients were generally non specific, but the percentage of children with anemia, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly was higher in patients possessing anti-dengue IgM antibodies than those without. Among the groups with anti-dengue IgM antibodies, those possessing only anti-D2 but not anti-D1 IgM antibodies showed higher percentages with cough, edema, and splenomegaly.

The results indicated that up to 26% of the undifferentiated fever cases were caused by dengue virus infection in Karachi, Pakistan.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. World Health Organization. Mosquitoborne hemorrhagic fevers of Southeast Asia and Western Pacific.Bull WHO 1966; 35:17–33.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Halstead, SB. Dengue haemorrhagic fever A public health problem and a field for research.Bull WHO 1980; 58:1–21.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Halstead, SB. The XXth century dengue pandemic: need for surveillance and research.Wld Hlth Statist Quart 1992; 45 : 292–298.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Westaway EG, Brinton MA, Gaidamovichet al. Flaviviridae.Intervirology 1985; 24: 183–192.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wengler G. Family Flaviviridae. In : R.I. B. Francki, In R.I. B. Francki, C.M. Fauquet, D.L. Knudson, F. Brown (eds.).Classification and Nomenclature of Viruses : Springer-Verlag, Wien, New York.Arch Virol Suppl 2, pp 223–233.

  6. Rice CM, Lenches EM, Eddy SR, Shin SJ, Sheets RL and Strauss JH. Nucleotide sequence of yellow fever virus: implications for flavivirus gene expression and evolution.Science, 1985; 299 : 726–733.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Rudnick A, Marchettes NJ and Garcia R. Possible jungle dengue recent studies and hypothesis.Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1967; 20:69–74.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sumarmo Wulur H, Jahja E and Gubler DJ. Sutomenggolo, TS, Sulianti Saroso J. Encephalopathy associated with dengue infection.Lancet 1978; 1:449–450.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Banerjee K. Dengue fever in rural areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat States in India.Dengue News 1990; 15: 3–5.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mehardale SM, Risbud AR,et al. Outbreak of dengue fever in rural areas of Parbhani district of Maharashtra (India).Ind J Med Res (A), 1991; 93: 6–11.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Uddin MJ, Jalee S, Sharma RS, and Veghee T. Dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever outbreak in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, 1992.Dengue News Letter 1992; 18:2–3.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Chan YC, Salahuddin NI, Khan J, Tan HC, Seah CLK, Li J, and Chow VTK. Dengue haemorrhagic fever outbreak in Karachi, Pakistan, 1994.Trans R Soc Trap Med Hyg 1995; 89: 619–620.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wilson MB, and Nakane PK. Recent development in the peroxidase method of conjugating horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) to antibodies. In : W Knapp, K Holubar, and G, Wick (eds).Immunofluorescence and Related Stainwg Teehniques. Elsevier/North Holland ’ Biochemicals Press, Amsterdam pp. 215–224.

  14. Morita K, Tanaka M, Arid Igarashi A. Rapid indentification of dengue virus serotypes by using polymerase chain reaction.J Clin Microbiol 1991; 29: 2107–2110.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bundo K, and Igarashi A. Antibodycapture /ELISA for detection of immunoglobulin M antibodies in sera from Japanese encephalitis and dengue hemorrhagic fever patients.J Virol Method 1985; 11:15–22.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Akram, D.S., Igarashi, A. & Takasu, T. Dengue virus infection among children with undifferentiated fever in Karachi. Indian J Pediatr 65, 735–740 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02731055

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02731055

Key words

Navigation