Clinical spectrum of dengue fever in a tertiary care centre with particular reference to atypical presentation in the 2012 outbreak in Kolkata.

During the summer of 2012, dengue fever epidemic has emerged in Kolkata and spread throughout West Bengal. During the epidemic period, wide spectrum of atypical presentations of dengue fever has been observed. Here, in this study, the spectrum of dengue fever was analysed in 300 patients who were found to have dengue serology positive (NS1, IgM, IgG). The study was done in the department of medicine, RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata. The patients were classified according to age, gender, duration of symptoms on admission, associated comorbidities and coinfections, complications that developed after admission, the final outcome and duration till death after symptoms developed. The dengue fever cases started to appear from April but it attained its peak during August-September this year. All ages were affected but the brunt was borne maximally by those between 15 and 40 years. Females were more affected than males. It may be concluded from the study that 30% had no complications while 70% cases developed complications, 4% cases had underlying comorbidities and coinfections, 68% developed thrombocytopenia and other haemorrhagic features, 55% serositis, 25% acalculous cholecystitis, 20% myocarditis, 15% pancreatitis, 5% had central nervous system involvement, 0.66% rhabdomyolysis and myositis, 0.33% secondary vasculitis and death occurred in 3% cases. More number of patients were having multiple and atypical complications requiring hospitalisation. Mortality was more common in patients with associated comorbidities and coinfection. Awareness, early treatment with aggressive fluid replacement therapy with close monitoring, supportive management andpatient education showed promising results.