Publication: Dengue among Suspected Patients Admitted to Department of Medicine of a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nepal Medical Association
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Dengue virus incidence has been increasing trends in every year due to the expansion of the vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of dengue among suspected patients admitted to the department of medicine of a tertiary care centre.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients admitted to the medicine department from 30 September 2022 to 30 December 2022 after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 019/2022). Demographic, clinical characteristics and laboratory profiles were collected from dengue patients by using a structured questionnaire. Convenience sampling method was used. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated.
Results: Among 500 patients, 242 (48.40%) (40.66-56.14, 95% Confidence Interval) were found to be dengue positive. The average age of the enrolled patients was 39.13±20.64 years. Most dengue fever patients were diagnosed in the category of dengue with a warning sign of 234 (96.69%). The mean hospital stay of dengue patients was 4.05±2.03 days, 229 (94.62%) of patients stayed less than 7 days before discharge.
Conclusions: The prevalence of dengue among suspected patients admitted to the department of medicine is found to be higher than in other similar studies done in similar settings. Patients with clinical symptoms and laboratory findings corroborating with dengue should undergo early diagnosis and facilitate prompt treatment in individual patients.
Description
Dinesh Kumar Lamsal
Department of Family Medicine, Civil Service Hospital, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Prem Shankar Chaurasiya
Department of Internal Medicine, Kalaiya Provincial Hospital, Kalaiya, Bara, Nepal
Akash Khatri
Department of Internal Medicine, Civil Service Hospital, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Swekchha Karki
Department of Internal Medicine, Civil Service Hospital, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Soniya Singh
Department of Internal Medicine, Civil Service Hospital, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Gomik Shilpakar
Department of Laboratory, Civil Service Hospital, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Raj Kumar Sangroula
Department of Public Health, Little Buddha College of Health Science, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Keywords
Dengue virus, Public health, Tertiary care centre