title: Incomplete surveillance of a dengue-2 epidemic in Ibagué, Colombia, 1995-1997.
abstract: From April 1995 through November 1997 a dengue epidemic occurred in Ibagué (400,000 population), Colombia, where 3,419 cases were reported and DEN 2 virus was isolated from seven patients. A sero-survey conducted in 1996 found evidence of previous dengue infection in 9.6% of the population, indicating that many infections had not been reported. The dengue infections occurred in all age groups, but children under five years of age were most frequently infected. Forty-five percent of this Ibagué population were born after the re-appearance of dengue in Colombia in 1972, but have never been infected with dengue virus. Most of the cases reported as dengue hemorrhagic fever did not fulfill the current case definition. Aedes aegypti larvae were found in 19% of dwellings surveyed, most often in uncovered low tanks used for water storage. Many residents were not acquainted with the domestic nature of the mosquito vector. Health workers attributed the failure of the dengue control programs to lack of leadership and other administrative problems.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá, DC, Colombia. tcamacho@ins.gov.co
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de la Hoz
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cárdenas
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Calderón
authors.forename: Ligia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bermúdez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011156:Population Density; D011159:Population Surveillance