DENGUE FEVER AND DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER IN ADULTS

Abstract. Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever are re-emerging diseases that are endemic in the Tropics. The global prevalence of dengue cases has increased in South-East Asia, Africa, the Western Pacific, and the Americas. The increasingly widespread distribution and the rising incidence of dengue virus infections are related to increased distribution of Aedes aegypti, an increasingly urban population, and increasing air travel. Several Southeast Asian countries show that the age of the reported dengue cases has increased from 5-9 years, to older children and young adults. Dengue infection in adolescents and adults has also been recognized as a potential hazard to international travelers returning from endemic areas, especially Southeast Asia. Dengue is one disease entity with different clinical presentations; often with unpredictable clinical evolutions and outcomes. Bleeding manifestations in adult patients, including petechiae and menorrhagia were also frequently found; however, massive hematemesis may occur in adult patients because of peptic ulcer disease and may not be associated with profound shock as previously reported in children. Although shock and plasma leakage seem to be more prevalent as age decreases, the frequency of internal hemorrhage rises as age increases. Increase in liver enzymes found in both children and adults indicated liver involvement during dengue infections. Pre-existing liver diseases in adults such as chronic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, and hemoglobinopathies may aggravate the liver impairment in dengue infection. Fulminant hepatitis is a rare but well described problem in adult patients with dengue infection. Currently, no specific therapeutic agent exists for dengue. The early recognition of dengue infection, bleeding tendency, and signs of circulatory collapse would reduce mortality rates in adult patients with dengue infection

Immunogenicity and safety of WHO-approved TRC-ID regimen with a chromatographically purified Vero cell rabies vaccine with or without rabies immunoglobulin in children

Introduction: Children are at risk of rabies exposure in many Asian countries. The safety and immunogenicity profile of the WHO-approved two-site intradermal Thai Red Cross regimen (modified TRC-ID regimen; 2–2-2–0-2) with a new chromatographically purified Vero-cell rabies vaccine (CPRV) is lacking. Area covered: We studied the safety and immunogenicity of the TRC-ID regimen with a new CPRV in non-immunized Thai children with possible or proven rabies exposure. Thirty-nine seronegative patients (age range 2–14 years) with rabies exposure (WHO categories II or III) received two 0.1-mL intradermal doses of CPRV at both deltoid regions on days 0, 3, 7, and 28. Twenty-five patients (64.1%) received rabies immunoglobulin due to having rabies exposure, according to WHO category III. All serum samples were tested for rabies neutralizing antibody (Nab) by the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT) before vaccination, and on days 14 and 90 after vaccination. All patients had an adequate immune response (Nab titers ≥ 0.5 IU/mL) on days 14 and 90. No patients died of rabies infection. No serious adverse reactions were observed. Expert commentary: CPRV is economic, safe, and immunogenic if given as the modified TRC-ID regimen in children

Risk of potentially rabid animal exposure among foreign travelers in Southeast Asia.

BACKGROUND: Each year millions of travelers visit Southeast Asia where rabies is still prevalent. This study aimed to assess the risk of rabies exposure, i.e., by being bitten or licked by an animal, among travelers in Southeast Asia. The secondary objective was to assess their attitudes and practices related to rabies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Foreign travelers departing to the destination outside Southeast Asia were invited to fill out the study questionnaire in the departure hall of Bangkok International Airport. They were asked about their demographic profile, travel characteristics, pre-travel health preparations, their possible exposure and their practices related to rabies during this trip. From June 2010 to February 2011, 7,681 completed questionnaires were collected. Sixty-two percent of the travelers were male, and the median age was 32 years. 34.0% of the participants were from Western/Central Europe, while 32.1% were from East Asia. Up to 59.3% had sought health information before this trip. Travel clinics were the source of information for 23.6% of travelers. Overall, only 11.6% of the participants had completed their rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis, and 15.3% had received only 1-2 shots, while 73.1% had not been vaccinated at all. In this study, the risk of being bitten was 1.11 per 100 travelers per month and the risk of being licked was 3.12 per 100 travelers per month. Among those who were bitten, only 37.1% went to the hospital to get post exposure treatment. Travelers with East Asian nationalities and longer duration of stay were significantly related to higher risk of animal exposure. Reason for travel was not related to the risk of animal exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Travelers were at risk of being exposed to potentially rabid animals while traveling in Southeast Asia. Many were inadequately informed and unprepared for this life-threatening risk. Rabies prevention advice should be included in every pre-travel visit

Proceedings of the 6th Asia Dengue Summit, June 2023.

The 6th Asia Dengue Summit (ADS) themed "Road Map to Zero Dengue Death" was held in Thailand from 15th-16th June 2023. The summit was hosted by Tropical Medicine Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand in conjunction with Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, The Thai Red Cross Society; Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University; and the Ministry of Public Health. The 6th ADS was convened by Asia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA); Global Dengue and Aedes Transmitted Diseases Consortium (GDAC); Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network (SEAMEO TROPMED); Fondation Mérieux (FMx) and the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD). Dengue experts from academia and research, and representatives from the Ministries of Health, Regional and Global World Health Organization (WHO) and International Vaccine Institute (IVI) participated in the three-day summit. With more than 51 speakers and 451 delegates from over 24 countries, 10 symposiums, and 2 full days, the 6th ADS highlighted the growing threat of dengue and its antigenic evolution, flagged the urgent need to overcome vaccine hesitancy and misinformation crisis, and focused on dengue control policies, newer diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, travel-associated dengue, and strategies to improve community involvement

Relative Risk of Animal Exposure.

*<p> <i>p-value<0.05.</i></p

Relation of Travel Clinic visit to Travelers' Knowledge about rabies.

*<p>Statistical significance.</p

Mean prices of cell-cultured rabies vaccine (1 dose) for pre-exposure prophylaxis in selected countries.

1<p>Obtained from the World Development Indicators database, World Bank, accessed 1 February 2012.</p>2<p>Prices in India and Sri-Lanka are those in private international clinics. Rabies vaccine can be obtained also from government designed anti-rabies centers in India, but almost exclusively for post-exposure prophylaxis at an average price of 8 USD per intramuscular dose. Rabies vaccine in public sector in Sri-Lanka is free and used only for post-exposure prophylaxis.</p>3<p>Price in Spain is that in private clinic. The vaccine can be obtained for free in national centers.</p>4<p>Price in the People's Republic of China is an average of prices in public and private sectors (47 USD in government designed anti- rabies centers, usually for post-exposure prophylaxis, (cost index = 62) and 93 USD in private international clinics (cost index = 123). Price in the special administrative region of Hong-Kong (77 USD, cost index = 17) was not considered is the present study.</p