title: Dengue fever in Czech travellers: A 10-year retrospective study in a tertiary care centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dengue fever is a frequent cause of morbidity in travellers. The objective was to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of dengue fever in Czech travellers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive study includes patients with acute dengue fever diagnosed at Hospital Na Bulovce during 2004-2013. Data were collected and analysed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 132 patients (83 males and 49 females) of median age 33 years (IQR 29-40) were included. Diagnosis was established by NS1 antigen detection in 87/107 cases (81.3%) and/or RT-PCR in 50/72 (69.4%) and by serology in 25 cases (18.9%). Dengue was acquired in South-East Asia in 69 cases (52.3%), followed by South Asia (48 cases; 36.3%), Latin America (14; 10.6%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (1; 0.8%). The most frequent symptoms included fever, rash and headache. Initial leukocyte and lymphocyte counts were lower in patients who presented in the early phase (0-4 days), however, platelet count was lower and AST, ALT and LDH activity higher in patients with a longer symptoms duration (≥5 days). The clinical course was mostly uncomplicated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dengue fever is becoming a frequent cause of fever in Czech travellers. Clinicians should be familiar with the typical clinical findings and novel diagnostic methods.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases, Hospital Na Bulovce, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address: milan.trojanek@bulovka.cz.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trojánek
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Institute of Public Health in Ústí nad Labem, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maixner
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Institute of Public Health in Ústí nad Labem, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Naděžda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sojková
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Public Health, Šrobárova 48, 100 42 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Epidemiology, 3rd Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Ruská 87, 100 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kynčl
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases, Hospital Na Bulovce, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roháčová
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases, Hospital Na Bulovce, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marešová
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Infectious Diseases, 2nd Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases, Hospital Na Bulovce, Budínova 2, 180 81 Prague, Czech Republic; Institute of Immunology and Microbiology, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Studničkova 7, 128 00 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Infectious Diseases, Regional Hospital Liberec, Husova 10, 460 63 Liberec, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: František
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stejskal
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013997:Time Factors; D014195:Travel
keywords: Arthropod-borne viruses; Dengue; Fever; Travel-acquired infections; Travellers