title: Fatal cases of Chikungunya virus infection in Colombia: Diagnostic and treatment challenges.
abstract: Although Chikungunya infection is emerging as an important public health problem in many countries, it is not regarded as a life-threatening disease. Information dealing with fatal cases is scarce. We herein describe three patients with Chickungunya infection who presented with multiple organ failure and died within 24h of admission. Two cases had positive anti-dengue IgM, but dengue coinfection was rejected based on the clinical features and results of real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These cases illustrate the challenges of the diagnosis and management of severe Chikungunya infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia; Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan M de la
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hoz
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: Brayan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bayona
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viloria
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Accini
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia.
authors.forename: Homero San
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Juan-Vergara
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Sciences, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia; Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. Electronic address: dviasus@uninorte.edu.co.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Viasus
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D060085:Coinfection; D003105:Colombia; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000821:virology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
keywords: Chikungunya; Clinical feature; Dengue; Laboratory finding; Mortality