Sero-prevalence of reported dengue fever in Shabwah governorate, Yemen

This study was conducted to confirm suspected dengue cases reported through the surveillance program in 2010 according to their clinical profile. A cross sectional study was carried out during a 10 month period from March to December 2010. A total of 819 sera were collected from suspected cases. A modified WHO dengue case investigation form was used to collect the demographic and clinical data on suspected dengue cases attending hospitals or health centers in 16 districts. Sera were collected and sent to the National Center of Public Health Laboratories in Sana'a city and screened for anti-dengue IgM and IgG antibodies by a commercially available ELISA kit. Suspected cases with either positive IgM or IgM+IgG antibodies were confirmed. The data was statistically analyzed using SPSS 15.0. From a total of 819 suspected dengue fever cases, 438 [53.5%] cases were confirmed, of whom 247 [56.4%] were males and 191 [43.6%] were females. Three districts [Habban, Kura and Mayfa'a] f had the highest incidence rate per 10,000 populations. Most confirmed cases occurred in May and June. The age of confirmed cases ranged from 10 to 29 years old. Most confirmed cases had fever, headache and joints pain. Over half of the suspected cases were laboratory confirmed with a majority of cases from 3 districts. The increase in confirmed reported cases were coincides with the rainy season. Outdoor biting was likely, as the most affected cases were in the age group 10 to 29 years.