Med. praxi. 2019;16(5):336-338

Patient with classical dengue fever

MUDr. Ing. Robin Šín, MBA^1,2, MUDr. Natálie Krajčíková³, doc. MUDr. Dalibor Sedláček, CSc.¹

¹ Klinika infekčních nemocí a cestovní medicíny, Univerzita Karlova, Lékařská fakulta v Plzni, Fakultní nemocnice Plzeň

² Zdravotnická záchranná služba Plzeňského kraje, příspěvková organizace, Plzeň

³ I. interní klinika, Univerzita Karlova, Lékařská fakulta v Plzni, Fakultní nemocnice Plzeň

Dengue fever is an endemic acute infectious disease in tropical and subtropical regions caused by one of five dengue virus serotypes. The viruses are transmitted by the Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Dengue infection results in varying degrees of disease, ranging from mild dengue fever through severe hemorrhagic fever, to escalation of dengue shock syndrome, which may cause death. This case report of a 25-year-old man describes a typical course of uncomplicated dengue after returning from Thailand. Classical symptoms such as fever, rash, muscle and joint pain, and leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were seen in the patient. The treatment consisted mainly of the administration of balanced crystalloid solutions, reduction of fever by antipyretics and supportive therapy. The virus was detected by laboratory determination of specific antibodies by ELISA. In the primary infection, the vast majority of cases are uncomplicated, as in the case report above. The next infection with another dengue virus serotype threatens to develop hemorrhagic fever and shock, when the patient is directly at risk of life.

Keywords: dengue fever, flavivirus, leukopenia, trombocytopenia, warning signs

Published: December 1, 2019  Show citation