title: Characterization of a dengue patient cohort in Recife, Brazil.
abstract: From 2004 to 2006, 658 patients with suspected dengue virus infections were enrolled in a clinical dengue cohort established in Recife, Pernambuco, located at the northeastern region of Brazil. A total of 2,364 blood samples were collected, and serum, plasma, and cells were cryopreserved. Among the suspected cases, 354 (54%) were confirmed as acute DENV-3 infection based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, virus isolation, and ELISA-IgM. According to WHO criteria, 29.4% of the positive acute cases were classified as dengue fever (DF) and 8.2% of the cases as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), grade 1 or 2. The DHF cases represent 100% of those confirmed in Recife during the period of the study. The dengue cases that did not fulfill the definition of either DHF or DF were classified as DF complicated and accounted for 44.0% of the cases. All the acute cases were classified as either primary or secondary acute dengue virus infections. Secondary infection was predominant in patients with DF; however, there was no predominance of either primary or secondary infections in patients with DHF.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia e Terapia Experimental do Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães-CPqAM, Fiocruz, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marli Tenório
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Ana Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Carlos A A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Eduardo J M
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Maria Cecilia F
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Georgia F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lucena-Silva
authors.forename: Eduardo M Freese
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Ernesto T A
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Marques
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral