An observational study of dengue fever in a tertiary care hospital of eastern India.

BACKGROUND

Dengue fever (DF) has become a significant resurgent tropical disease in the past 20 years all over the globe. The recent outbreak in West Bengal has once again underlined our failure in vector control and prevention. Our study outlines the clinical spectrum as well as the geographical expansion of the disease beyond urban confines.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All patients with acute febrile illness positive for IgM antibody for Dengue virus were taken as cases. The patients were subjected to clinical examination and baseline investigations so as to fill in a structured proforma.

RESULT

The total number of patients were 180 of whom 92 (51.1%) were male and 88 (48.9%) were female. The maximum number of patients belonged to the age group 20-29 years (26.9%). The patients mostly hailed from Kolkata followed by Nadia, 24- Parganas(S), Murshidabad and Midnapur. The most common presentation apart from fever and bodyache were gastrointestinal symptoms. 42% patients complained of abdominal pain, 24% had vomiting, 9.6% diarrhoea. Bleeding manifestations occurred in 23% of patients. CNS features were documented 10.4%. Case fatality came out to be 3.8%. Investigations revealed thrombocytopenia in 55% and leucopenia 32.7%, transaminitis in 72% Evidence of organomegaly (22.2%) and serositis (42%) were detected. Complications included intracranial haemorrhage, DIC, pancreatitis, myocarditis and even a solitary case of splenic rupture.

CONCLUSION

The current outbreak was affecting both the genders equitably and mostly the younger age group from rural as well as urban areas. A febrile illness characterised by myalgia, mild bleeding and gastrointestinal symptoms, it was more or less promptly responsive to early conservative therapy like fluids, FFP and platelet transfusion where required.