title: [Clinical and pathological correlation in fatal dengue cases found in Maracaibo, Venezuela].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the importance of dengue in America, it is indispensable to know the cause of death of the infected people and to evaluate the few necropsy studies available.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe and to analyze the relevant clinical and pathological findings in fatal dengue cases of dengue in a Venezuelan endemic area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight fatal cases, according to clinical and epidemiological dengue criteria and/or confirmed by complete serological tests were studied after complete clinical necropsy. The tissues were processed by standard histopathological techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All these cases showed severe lung disease (diffuse alveolar damage, non cardiogenic pulmonary edema, thromboembolism, bronchopneumonia, pneumonitis, intralveolar hemorrhage). Six presented with pleural or abdominal effusion. Focal hepatic necrosis was found in two cases. The cause of death was related to respiratory failure in six (6) cases secondary to lung disease; two with hypovolemic shock, and one developed liver failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the studied dengue cases showed fatal severe pulmonary compromise leading to death, unlike those reported in other studies of autopsies in The Americas. They also developed multiple organ failure, which in most cases led to death not directly associated to hypovolemic shock. These findings in autopsies will allow designing therapeutic strategies to avoid mortality.
authors: Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas-Laboratorio de Microscopia Electrónica, Facultad de Medicina-Universidad del Zulia, Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital General del Sur "Dr. Pedro Iturbe", Maracaibo, Venezuela. gabrielarismendi@gmail.com
authors: Gabriel
authors: G
authors: Arismendi-Morillo
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Mauriello-Rivas
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Maldonado-Reverol
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Fernández-Abreu
authors: Marcos
authors: M
authors: Larreal
authors: V Gustavo
authors: VG
authors: Torres-Nava
authors: Zoila
authors: Z
authors: Romero-Amaro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology