PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (Apr 2014)

Challenges in dengue fever in the elderly: atypical presentation and risk of severe dengue and hospital-acquired infection [corrected].

  • Emily K Rowe,
  • Yee-Sin Leo,
  • Joshua G X Wong,
  • Tun-Linn Thein,
  • Victor C Gan,
  • Linda K Lee,
  • David C Lye

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002777
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 4
p. e2777

Abstract

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Background/methodsTo better understand dengue fever in the elderly, we compared clinical features, World Health Organization (WHO) dengue classification and outcomes between adult (ResultsOf the 6989 cases, 295 (4.4%) were elderly. PCR was positive in 29%. The elderly suffered more severe disease with more dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) (29.2% vs. 21.4%) and severe dengue (SD) (20.3% vs. 14.6%) (pConclusionElderly dengue patients present atypically and are at higher risk of DHF, SD and HAI. Aside from dengue severity, age, co-morbidity and HAI were associated with longer hospital stay.