Dengue virus epidemics: A recent report of 2018 from district Swat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Abstract

Dengue is a vector-borne tropical disease caused by dengue virus (DENV) infection that affects more than a hundred million human beings globally with a high mortality rate of 30000 per year. The study was aimed to highlight the clinical, epidemiological, and diagnostic characteristics of dengue infection in the recent outbreak. The role of various diagnostic tools was also determined to achieve the highest accuracy level. A total of suspected dengue subjects, about 902 blood samples were collected along with clinical and epidemiological information. These patients had visited saidu teaching hospitals during a dengue outbreak in district Swat. The data was taken from July to November 2018. The Collected blood samples were screened for dengue infection through Immunochromato graphic technique (ICT), nonstructural protein-1 (NS1) antigen, IgG antigen, and IgM antibodies. About 305(33.81%) were found positive for dengue infection IgG, IgM, or both IgG and IgM, NS1, NS1+IgM, NS1+IgG, NS1+IgM+IgG. The dengue infection rate in males 207 (14.50%) was higher as compared to females 98 (5.46%). The rate of infection was found more in the age group of 16-30 years of age (38.68%). All patients were suffering from severe fever (97%), Abdominal pain (40%), Vomiting (57%), Nose bleeding (27%), Gum bleeding (51%), Abdominal pain (61%), Skin rash (10%). The prevalence of Dengue virus infections shows a great rate of incidence in 2018 at district swat. Due to the lack of poor health system and as well as lack of awareness in the individual. Our results show that males are more affected as compared to females in the current outbreak.