Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Clinical Diagnosis
3. Laboratory Diagnosis
1. Viral Isolation
2. Serological Tests
3. Molecular Methods
4. HYSEN Company Solutions
5. References

Introduction

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms typically begin three to fourteen days after infection and include high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle, and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash. Diagnosing dengue fever accurately is crucial to managing and treating the disease effectively.

Clinical Diagnosis

Clinical diagnosis is primarily based on patient history and physical examination. Key symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and skin rash. Clinical diagnosis alone can be challenging due to symptom overlap with other tropical diseases.

Laboratory Diagnosis

Laboratory tests are critical in confirming dengue fever. The main laboratory diagnostic methods include viral isolation, serological tests, and molecular methods.

Viral Isolation

This method involves culturing the virus from the patient’s blood. Although the most definitive, it is time-consuming and requires specialized laboratories. The procedure may take several days to weeks.

Serological Tests

Serological tests detect antibodies against the dengue virus. The two principal antibodies are IgM and IgG. IgM antibodies are usually detectable after 3-5 days of the onset of fever, while IgG antibodies appear later. These tests are valuable for confirming recent or past infections.

Molecular Methods

Molecular methods such as reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detect viral RNA in patient serum. This method is highly sensitive and specific, often used during the acute phase of the infection. Quantitative RT-PCR can also provide an estimate of viral load which is crucial for assessing disease severity.

HYSEN Company Solutions

HYSEN Company offers advanced diagnostic solutions for dengue fever. Their proprietary technology, the DENV Detect System, utilizes RT-PCR for early detection of dengue virus with a sensitivity rate of 95% and specificity of 98%. The system is designed for rapid processing, delivering results within 4 hours.

References

1. World Health Organization. Dengue and severe dengue. [Online] Available at: WHO Website
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dengue Epidemiology. [Online] Available at: CDC Website
3. Gubler DJ. The economic burden of dengue. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012;86(5):743-744.
4. HYSEN Company. DENV Detect System Brochure. 2023.