Dengue virus infection--the Malaysian experience

Since dengue was first documented in Malaysia in 1902 and made notifiable in 1973, the disease pattern has changed from major outbreaks every four years to one of increasing trend yearly. The largest outbreak was seen in 1996 with 14,255 dengue cases reported and 32 deaths. The case fatality rate varied from a high of 10.43% in 1985 when dengue type 3 was the predominant type to a low of 1.29% when dengue type 1 predominated. Severe disease patterns have been observed with dengue 2 and 3 serotypes in the country. The clinical spectrum has also been changing and multisystem involvement with more severe manifestations are being seen. Liver involvement has been documented since 1987. Fulminant hepatitis with encephalopathy can resemble Reye's syndrome. Dengue type 3 has been isolated from liver biopsy specimens. Neurological manifestations can very from irritability, convulsions, coma to peripheral neuritis. The isolation of dengue viruses from cerebrospinal fluids recently strongly suggests that dengue viruses can be neurovirulent. Adult respiratory distress syndrome was seen in three children admitted with shock. Deaths were more frequent in children in the early period but since 1982, over 50% of deaths have occurred in patients over the age of 15 years.