title: Epidemiologic studies on Dengue in Santiago de Cuba, 1997.
abstract: A small, isolated outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS) due to dengue virus type 2 (DEN-2) was documented in Santiago de Cuba on the island of Cuba beginning in January 1997. There were 205 DHF/DSS cases, all in persons older than age 15 years. All but three had evidence of a prior dengue infection, with the only known opportunity being the islandwide dengue virus type 1 (DEN-1) epidemic of 1977-1979. Virtually complete clinical and laboratory surveillance of overt disease was achieved. From December 1997 to January 1998, a random, age-stratified serum sample was obtained from 1,151 persons in 40 residential clusters in Santiago. Sera were tested for DEN-1 and DEN-2 neutralizing antibodies. The prevalence of DEN-2 antibodies in children age 15 years and under, born after the 1981 DEN-2 epidemic, was taken as the 1997 DEN-2 infection rate. This was adjusted slightly to accommodate observed cases, resulting in an estimated infection rate of 4.3%. Dengue fever and DHF/DSS attack rates were calculated from estimated total primary and secondary DEN-2 infections. Only 3% of 13,116 primary infections were overt. The DHF/DSS attack rate for adults of all ages was 420 per 10,000 secondary DEN-2 infections.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kouri, Havana, Cuba.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kouri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valdes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vazques
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Halstead
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003462:Cuba / Q000453:epidemiology; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012621:Seasons; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D019595:Severe Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral