Dengue hemorrhagic fever in infants: research opportunities ignored
Halstead, S.B.; Lan, N.Trong.; Myint, T.Thein.; Shwe, T.Nu.; Nisalak, A.; Kalyanarooj, S.; Nimmannitya, S.; Soegijanto, S.; Vaughn, D.W.; Endy, T.P.
Emerging Infectious Diseases 8(12): 1474-1479
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 1080-6040 PMID: 12498666 DOI: 10.3201/eid0812.020170Document Number: 234904
The age distribution of cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS) in infants under the age of 1 year are reported from Bangkok, Thailand, and for the first time for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Yangon, Myanmar; and Surabaya, Indonesia. The four dengue viruses were isolated from Thai infants, all of whom were having a primary dengue infection. Progress studying the immunologically distinct infant DHF/DSS has been limited; most contemporary research has centered on DHF/DSS accompanying secondary dengue infections. In designing research results obtained in studies on a congruent animal model, feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) infections of kittens born to FIPV-immune queens should be considered. Research challenges presented by infant DHF/DSS are discussed.