Dengue Fever Could Be Misidentified

Severe cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever may not be recognized if doctors rely on the World Health Organization’s guidelines, according to a German study.

Under WHO guidelines, dengue hemorrhagic fever is characterized by low platelet count, clinical evidence of leaking capillaries and spontaneous bleeding or fragile blood vessels. There is no cure to the potentially fatal disease, but it is possible to manage the disease.

Dr. Ole Wichmann of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin found that out of more than 200 patients treated for dengue infection at several European sites over two years, less than 1 percent fit all four criteria necessary to meet the WHO definition of dengue hemorrhagic fever. But a total of 23 percent required hospitalization due to dengue-related symptoms, according to the study in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, available online.

The term ‘dengue hemorrhagic fever’ puts undue emphasis on bleeding, Wichmann said in a statement. Clinicians who mainly focus on bleeding … may miss the most important conditions that require hospitalization and treatment.