Dengue hemorrhagic fever outbreak in children in Port Sudan

Dengue fever [DF]/dengue hemorrhagic fever [DHF] has emerged as a global public health problem with countries in Asia and the Pacific sharing more than 70% of the disease burden. In 2004-2005 a total of 312 cases admitted to Pediatric and Sea Port Hospitals in Port Sudan were clinically diagnosed as DHF. The mortality rate recorded was 3.8% [n = 12]. Of the cases 73.4% were patients 5-15 years of age. A total of 91.2% of cases were admitted during May and June 2005 with 49.4% residing in the eastern region of Port Sudan. Dengue shock syndrome was observed in 37 of 312 [11.9%]. All patients had thrombocytopenia with platelets count ranged from <100,000 to <150,000 cell/mm3. Of the 40 sera tested using RAPID-cassette test in the Khartoum Central Public Health Lab, 36 [90%] were dengue IgM positive. A subset of these sera [n = 23] were sent to NAMRU-3 and confirmed by IgM-capture ELISA; 9 of 23 were PCR positive for dengue serotype 3. Published by Elsevier Limited on behalf of King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. All rights reserved

Studies on West Nile virus infection in Egypt

We conducted a prospective cohort study to determine prevalence and incidence of West Nile virus [WNV] in Egypt. Cohorts were established in Upper [UE], Middle [ME], and Lower [LE] Egypt. Additionally, a cross-sectional serosurvey was performed in the North [NS] and South [SS] Sinai. Cohorts were bled initially and 1 year later. Sera were tested for WNV-IgG by ELISA and positive sera were confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test [PRNT]. Sentinel chicken flocks placed in the above sites were bled monthly for virus isolation and serology. Mosquitoes were collected monthly from the above sites and tested for WNV. Human seroprevalence rates were 35%, 27%, 14%, 1% and 7% in UE, ME, LE, NS and SS, respectively. Seroconversion rates were 18%, 17% and 7% in UE, ME and LE, respectively; 49% of the seroconverters reported undiagnosed febrile illness. Sentinel chickens showed seroconversion in all study sites. WNV was isolated from both sentinel chickens and mosquitoes in cohort sites. This study demonstrates that WNV was actively circulating during the study period in different areas in Egypt and causing febrile illness in a considerable proportion of individuals in the study sites