The Incidence, Characteristics, and Presentation of Dengue Virus Infections during Infancy

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 82; no. 2; pp. 330 - 336
• Main Authors: Capeding, Rosario Z, Brion, Job D, Caponpon, Mercydina M, Gibbons, Robert V, Jarman, Richard G, Yoon, In-Kyu, Libraty, Daniel H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Deerfield, IL ASTMH 01.02.2010; American Society of Tropical Medecine and Hygiene; The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; Arboviroses; Biological and medical sciences; Dengue - diagnosis; Dengue - epidemiology; Dengue fevers; Dengue Virus - immunology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Immunoglobulin M - immunology; Incidence; Infant; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Philippines - epidemiology; Tropical viral diseases; Viral diseases; Philippines; Human; Infection; Characteristics; Viral disease; Dengue; Arbovirus disease; Tropical medicine; Infant; Epidemiology; Incidence
• ISSN: 0002-9637; 1476-1645
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0542

Infants are a vulnerable and unique population at risk for dengue in endemic areas. This report describes the incidence and presenting clinical features of infant dengue virus (DENV) infections from a prospective community-based study performed between January 2007 and May 2009 in the Philippines. DENV3 was the predominant infecting serotype over a wide spectrum of disease severity, ranging from inapparent infection to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). In 2007, the incidence of inapparent DENV infections during infancy was 103 per 1,000 persons person-years and 6-fold higher than symptomatic dengue. The age-specific incidence of infant DHF was 0.5 per 1,000 persons over the age of 3-8 months, and it disappeared by age 9 months. A febrile seizure, macular rash, petechiae, and lower platelet count were presenting clinical features associated with DENV infection among infants with acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses. Community-based studies can help to delineate the incidence rates, disease spectrum, and clinical features of DENV infections during infancy.