Dengue: epidemiology, diagnosis methods, treatment options, and prevention strategies

Abstract

Dengue is an arboviral disease caused by dengue virus, which is mostly found in tropical regions, and the number of human cases has increased dramatically since 2000, with 5.2 million cases reported in 2019, according to WHO reports, 70% of which were in Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, and Asia. Dengue infection can result in a wide range of clinical manifestations, ranging from fever to severe dengue shock syndrome, which can be fatal, particularly in those with secondary dengue. This review of the aetiology of dengue fever examines the complex interactions between the virus and the immune system and the interaction between viral and host factors and also covers outbreaks, the severity of disease caused by different serotypes, and methods for diagnosis of dengue, such as serological tests, nucleic acid amplification tests, and ELISA assays for detecting the NS1 antigen. Current treatment options and prevention strategies, including vector control measures, environmental interventions, and insect repellents are also discussed. This review highlights the challenges involved in developing a dengue vaccine, which is complicated by the need for an efficient and balanced immune response against all genotypes of the four serotypes.