The status of dengue fever virus in South Africa--serological studies and diagnosis of a case of dengue fever.

To assess the possibility of a dengue epidemic occurring in South Africa 3 groups of survey sera and 2 groups of patients' sera, from a dengue high risk area of South Africa, were tested for antibodies to several flaviviruses. 3.8% (75/1951) of the survey sera and 9.2% (26/282) of the patients' sera had haemagglutination inhibition antibodies to one or more of the flaviviruses tested. One of 1951 survey sera had a spectrum of complement fixation antibody consistent with a primary dengue infection, and 5 of 282 patients' sera also had complement fixation antibodies to flavivirus antigens. These 5 positive patients had recently travelled to India but in only one was there an antibody spectrum unequivocably consistent with a primary dengue infection. Dengue virus type 1 was successfully isolated from this patient's acute serum. The susceptibility of the population to dengue virus infection, the presence of the main vector of dengue virus and the occurrence of imported cases of dengue fever emphasize the need for continuous vigilance.