Dengue fever in the Indian subcontinent: an overview

Authors

  • Ummar Raheel NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Faheem NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Mohammad Nasir Riaz NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Naghmana Kanwal NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Farakh Javed NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Najam us Sahar Sadaf Zaidi NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Ishtiaq Qadri NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.1017

Keywords:

dengue fever, prevalent serotypes, Indian subcontinent, climatic and economic impact

Abstract

The Indian Subcontinent has emerged as a scene of many mosquito-borne infectious diseases, including malaria and dengue fever. After the 1990s, the rate of malaria declined owing largely to preventive measures, but at the same time dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) were increasing in the region. Outbreaks were recorded in all countries of the Indian Subcontinent with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on the forefront and suffering from the largest number of cases and deaths. We discuss annual cases of DF/DHF in these four countries and possible factors involved in DF outbreaks. We also discuss prevalent serotypes in this region where data suggest the emergence of DEN2 and DEN3 as the most dominant and lethal serotypes. Climate is an important factor influencing DF outbreaks, and rainfall, temperature and humidity play a pivotal role in DF outbreaks. Finally the economic impact of DF/DHF cases is discussed showing that direct and indirect economic loss due to DF/DHF reaches millions of USD each year.

Author Biographies

Ummar Raheel, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

M-phil leading to Phd student/ Researcher,

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Muhammad Faheem, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

M-phil leading to Phd student/ Researcher,

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Mohammad Nasir Riaz, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

M-phil leading to Phd student/ Researcher,

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Naghmana Kanwal, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Researcher,

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Farakh Javed, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Phd student/ Researcher,

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Najam us Sahar Sadaf Zaidi, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Post Doctoral Fellow

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Ishtiaq Qadri, NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

Director General,

NUST Centre of Virology and Immunology, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

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Published

2010-07-21

How to Cite

1.
Raheel U, Faheem M, Riaz MN, Kanwal N, Javed F, Zaidi N us SS, Qadri I (2010) Dengue fever in the Indian subcontinent: an overview. J Infect Dev Ctries 5:239–247. doi: 10.3855/jidc.1017

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 04: April 2011

Section

Regional Reviews

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