Risk factors and biomarkers of severe dengue

Abstract

Dengue virus infects several million people each year. Although usually a self-limiting disease, some patients can develop life-threatening severe complications, characterized by plasma leakage, hemorrhaging, and shock. The signs and symptoms of severe disease usually arise late in the disease course when patients are recovering and fever has subsided, making it difficult to predict. Efforts are underway to identify risk factors and biomarkers that can accurately predict disease severity in the acute febrile phase of the disease, facilitating early intervention and treatment strategies for those at greatest risk. In this review we discuss recent advancements in identifying risk factors and biomarkers for the prognosis of severe dengue.