Contribution of Dengue Fever to the Burden of Acute Febrile Illnesses in Papua New Guinea: An Age-Specific Prospective Study

Nicolas Senn Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; School of Biomedical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

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Dagwin Luang-Suarkia Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; School of Biomedical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

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Doris Manong Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; School of Biomedical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

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Peter Max Siba Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; School of Biomedical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

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William John Hannan McBride Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; School of Biomedical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

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Malaria is a major contributor to the burden of febrile illnesses in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Dengue fever (DF) is likely to contribute; however, its epidemiology in PNG is poorly understood. We performed a prospective age-stratified study in outpatient clinics investigating the prevalence of DF; 578 patients were enrolled, and 317 patients with a negative rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for malaria were tested for dengue. Malaria was confirmed in 52% (301/578, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 48–56%), DF was diagnosed in 8% (46/578, 95% CI = 6–10%), and 40% (95% CI = 36–44%) had neither diagnosis. Among the 317 malaria RDT-negative patients, 14% (45/317, 95% CI = 10–18%) had DF. The seroprevalence of dengue immunoglobulin G (IgG) was 83% (204/247, 95% CI = 78–87%), and no dengue hemorrhagic fever was seen. This study provides good evidence for the first time that DF is common in PNG and is responsible for 8% of fever episodes. The common occurrence of DF in a population with presumed previous exposure to dengue is an important observation.

Author Notes

*Address correspondence to Nicolas Senn, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002 Basel, Switzerland. E-mail: nicolas.senn@gmail.com

Authors' addresses: Nicolas Senn, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea; Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland, E-mail: nicolas.senn@gmail.com. Dagwin Luang-Suarkia, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea and School of Biomedical, Biomolecular, and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, E-mail: dagwins@gmail.com. Doris Manong and Peter Max Siba, Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Goroka, Papua New Guinea, E-mails: doris.manong@gmail.com and Peter.Siba@pngimr.org.pg. William John Hannan McBride, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia, E-mail: john.mcbride@theiddoctor.com.

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