ASSOCIATION STUDY OF VIREMIA LEVELS WITH CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THAI PATIENTS WITH DENGUE

A prospective observational study was conducted from June 2011 to March 2013 to investigate the association of dengue viremia levels with clinical characteristics and routine laboratory findings involving 121 dengue patients admitted to the Bangkok Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Thailand. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis of envelope (E) gene of dengue virus in circulation was carried out. There were 84 (69%) and 37 (31%) dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) patients respectively, with 89% being secondary dengue infection. Viremia level in DHF was slightly higher and more sustained than in DF patients, but there was no statistically significant association between viremia level and clinical characteristics. Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) was the most common serotype. E gene phylogenetic study revealed presence of DENV-1 genotype I, DENV-2 Asian genotype I, DENV-3 genotype II, and DENV-4 genotype I. Even though the study fails to discern any outstanding characteristics of the patients associated with dengue viremia level, it reveals the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients admitted to the Bangkok Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand.