Arboviral Surveillance among Pediatric Patients with Acute Febrile Illness in Houston, Texas. uri icon

abstract

  • We instituted active surveillance among febrile patients presenting to the largest Houston-area pediatric emergency department to identify acute infections of dengue virus (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). In 2014, 1,063 children were enrolled, and 1,015 (95%) had blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid specimens available for DENV, WNV, and CHIKV testing. Almost half (49%) reported recent mosquito bites, and 6% (N = 60) reported either recent international travel or contact with an international traveler. None were positive for acute WNV; three had false-positive CHIKV results; and two had evidence of DENV. One DENV-positive case was an acute infection associated with international travel, whereas the other was identified as a potential secondary acute infection, also likely travel-associated. Neither of the DENV-positive cases were clinically recognized, highlighting the need for education and awareness. Health-care professionals should consider the possibility of arboviral disease among children who have traveled to or from endemic areas.

published proceedings

  • Am J Trop Med Hyg

altmetric score

  • 0.25

author list (cited authors)

  • Sahni, L. C., Fischer, R., Gorchakov, R., Berry, R. M., Payne, D. C., Murray, K. O., & Boom, J. A.

citation count

  • 0

complete list of authors

  • Sahni, Leila C||Fischer, Rebecca SB||Gorchakov, Rodion||Berry, Rebecca M||Payne, Daniel C||Murray, Kristy O||Boom, Julie A

publication date

  • August 2018