title: Serological diagnosis of dengue in laboratory practice in Kolkata.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out the most suitable serological investigative procedures to diagnose dengue cases effectively in the laboratory practice identifying primary and secondary cases as well as period of suffering.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dengue suspected cases sent to the laboratory in 2012 in central Kolkata by the local physicians were categorised into seven panels according to the investigations asked for such as (1) only dengue-specific NS1 antigen (2) only IgM antibodies, (3) NS1+IgM+IgG antibodies, (4) only IgM and IgG, (5) NS1+IgM, (6) NS1+IgG and (7) only IgG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 1892 suspected cases, dengue was diagnosed in 725 (38.3%). Through panels I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII, it was possible to diagnose dengue in (I) 35.98% (435/1209), (II) 37.5% (24/60), (III) 49% (173/354), (IV) 30.8% (68/221), (V) 60.5% (23/38), (VI) 40% (2/5) and (VII) 0 of cases respectively. Detail information such as confirmed diagnosis, duration of the disease (whether early or prolonged) and classification of primary and secondary dengue in such early or prolonged stages would only be possible in panel III, which information would be helpful for effective monitoring and treatment of dengue patients. In all other panels, merely fragmentary information would be obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serodiagnostic tests dengue-specific NS1 antigen and IgM and IgG antibodies when conducted simultaneously would be able to diagnose confirmed dengue cases categorising primary and secondary dengue along with the duration of the disease, whether early or prolonged.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naskar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talukdar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pramanik
authors.affiliation: Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Hati
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007194:India; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M