Abstract:
700 patients were enrolled but those who subsequently developed signs of specific infection
other than the sign of fever were, subsequently excluded from the study. Therefore, only
524 continued to be in the study. Of the 524 patients evaluated, 262 had dengue fever, 100
had dengue Hemorrhagic fever(DHF). 162 had non-dengue febrile illnesses(NDF). The
symptoms at onset that were most useful for making a diagnosis of Dengue infection were,
fever with rigors or fever with chills and rigors, severe vomiting, right-sided abdominal
pain, faintness and coryza. In Dengue fever, a relative bradycardia was a consistent finding.
In DHF, the tourniquet test (Hess's test) was a fairly sensitive diagnostic marker. Tender
hepatomegaly was also a significant finding in those with DHF. Itching of either the palms
or soles or a combination of both occur at the onset of the recovery phase in dengue
infections. Patients with dengue and dengu hemorrhagic fever had lower white cell and
absolute neutrophil counts but a higher lymphocyte count than those with NDF. Neutrphil
leucocytosis was a significant observation in the NDF group. Plasma SGPT levels were
higher in those who developed DHF than those with DF. In patients with dengue infections,
there was a significant fall in the PC and as a significant rise in he PCV coincided with the
defervescence of fever. The immunochromatographic technique using the PanBio Dengue
Duo Rapid Strip showed a good sensitivity for the detection of dengue infection and enabled
the differentiation between primary and secondary dengue infections. An ultrasound scan is
an important adjunct to clinical and laboratory profile in diagnosing plasma leakage in
dengue hemorrhagic fever. Ultrasound features of fluid around the gall bladder, pleural
effusion and ascites strongly favor the diagnosis of dengue hemorrhagic fever. The above
features are simple clinical and laboratory parameters that help identify those with dengue
infections.
