Dengue hemorrhagic fever in infants: research opportunities ignored

Emerg Infect Dis. 2002 Dec;8(12):1474-9. doi: 10.3201/eid0812.020170.

Abstract

The age distribution of cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS) in infants under the age of 1 year are reported from Bangkok, Thailand, and for the first time for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Yangon, Myanmar; and Surabaya, Indonesia. The four dengue viruses were isolated from Thai infants, all of whom were having a primary dengue infection. Progress studying the immunologically distinct infant DHF/DSS has been limited; most contemporary research has centered on DHF/DSS accompanying secondary dengue infections. In designing research results obtained in studies on a congruent animal model, feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) infections of kittens born to FIPV-immune queens should be considered. Research challenges presented by infant DHF/DSS are discussed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dengue Virus / classification
  • Dengue Virus / isolation & purification*
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Indonesia / epidemiology
  • Infant
  • Myanmar / epidemiology
  • Research
  • Severe Dengue / epidemiology*
  • Thailand / epidemiology
  • Vietnam / epidemiology