title: Changing haematological parameters in dengue viral infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dengue Fever is the most common arboviral disease in the world, and presents cyclically in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The four serotypes of dengue virus, 1, 2, 3, and 4, form an antigenic subgroup of the flaviviruses (Group B arboviruses). Transmission to humans of any of these serotypes initiates a spectrum of host responses, from in apparent to severe and sometimes lethal infections. Complete Blood count (CBC) is an important part of the diagnostic workup of patients. Comparison of various finding in CBC including peripheral smear can help the physician in better management of the patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross sectional study was carried out on a series of suspected patients of Dengue viral infection reporting in Ittefaq Hospital (Trust). All were investigated for serological markers of acute infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 341 acute cases 166 (48.7%) were confirmed by IgM against Dengue virus. IgG anti-dengue was used on 200 suspected re-infected patients. Seventy-one (39.5%) were positive and 118 (59%) were negative. Among 245 confirmed dengue fever patients 43 (17.6%) were considered having dengue hemorrhagic fever on the basis of lab and clinical findings. Raised haematocrit, Leukopenia with relative Lymphocytosis and presence atypical lymphocytes along with plasmacytoid cells was consistent finding at presentation in both the patterns of disease, i.e., Dengue Haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and Dengue fever (DF).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in relative percentage of cells appear with improvement in the symptoms and recovery from the disease. These findings indicate that in the course of the disease, there are major shifts within cellular component of blood.
authors.affiliation: lttefaq Hospital (Trust), Lahore, Pakistan. tahirjameel@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tahir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jameel
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.forename: Ghulam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mujtaba
authors.forename: Nakhshab
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choudhry
authors.forename: Naeema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Rubina Faisal
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Paul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003715:Dengue / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000821:virology; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time