Dengue viruses in Brazil, 1986-2006.
A total of 4,243,049 dengue cases have been reported in Brazil between 1981 and 2006, including 5,817 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS) and a total of 338 fatal cases. Although all Brazilian regions have been affected, the Northeast and Southeast regions have registered the highest number of notifications. DENV-1 and DENV-4 were isolated for the first time in the Amazon region of Brazil in 1981 and 1982. The disease became a nationwide public health problem following outbreaks of DENV-1 and DENV-2 in the state of Rio de Janeiro in 1986 and 1990, respectively. The introduction of DENV-3 in 2000, also in the state of Rio de Janeiro, led to a severe epidemic with 288 245 reported dengue cases, including 91 deaths. Virus strains that were typed during the 2002 epidemic show that DENV-3 has displaced other dengue virus serotypes and entered new areas, a finding that warrants closer evaluation. Unusual clinical symptoms, including central nervous system involvement, have been observed in dengue patients in at least three regions of the country.
Nogueira
Rita Maria Ribeiro
RM
Flavivirus Laboratory, Department of Virology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/ FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil 4365, 21040-190, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. rita@ioc.fiocruz.br
de Araújo
Josélio Maria Galvão
JM
Schatzmayr
Hermann Gonçalves
HG
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans