title: Prospective birth cohort in a hyperendemic dengue area in Northeast Brazil: methods and preliminary results.
abstract: Dengue cases have increased in younger age groups in Brazil. Maternal anti-dengue antibodies can have a protective effect in the first months of life, but their decline can increase the risk of severe dengue. A prospective birth cohort was established in 2011-2012 in the city of Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil, to determine the incidence of serotype-specific dengue infection and the kinetics of transferred maternal anti-dengue antibodies in the first years of life. This article describes the design, methods and preliminary results of this cohort study. 354 children underwent clinical and laboratory monitoring for two years, with 15% losses to follow-up. The overall rate of new infections was approximately 10% in the first year of follow-up. Information on the force of serotype-specific dengue infection and the evaluation of transferred maternal antibodies can contribute to understanding dengue etiopathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão de
authors.initials: Mde F
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marli Tenório
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Priscila M S
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Castanha
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, U.K.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, U.K.
authors.forename: Neal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Júlia G de
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ernesto T A
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Recife, Brasil.
authors.forename: Celina M Turchi
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Martelli
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M