title: Critical phase among patients with dengue fever during the 2010 outbreak in Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dengue virus infection has become an increasingly serious threat to public health in Nepal. Detection and/or serotyping of dengue virus has been reported in the past; however, little is known about the critical phase among dengue patients in Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rapid immunochromatographic tests and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) were performed in order to diagnosis dengue fever. Ultrasonographic and chest radiography were used to identify the plasma leakage phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total 264 patients with dengue, 8.7% (23/264) were admitted during the critical phase; 82.6% (19/23) of the patients were between 20 and 44 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians need to be vigilant and attentive to young adult patients with dengue fever.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit, Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. drsherbdr@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sher Bahadur
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Pun
authors.forename: Yogendra
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012703:Serotyping; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Critical phase; Dengue; Nepal