Epidemiological characteristics of patients with suspected dengue admitted in a health area of Las Tunas, 2022

Abstract

Introduction: Studies are needed to epidemiologically characterize patients suspected of having dengue at the Primary Health Care services.

Objective: To epidemiologically characterize patients with suspected dengue belonging to the health area of the Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima Polyclinic in Las Tunas city and province, Cuba.

Methods: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted, including 1730 patients admitted (home and hospital) with suspected dengue fever from January 1 to December 31, 2022. Variables: age group, statistical week, anti-dengue IgM positivity, type of admission, community council (consejo popular), deaths, days until admission, days until sample collection, and days until case blocking. Data were processed using descriptive statistics.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences between age groups. The increase in cases was concentrated from week 27 onward, especially in home admissions across the four community councils, reaching a peak of 103 cases in week 30. In Community Council No. 7, the proportion of positive cases in hospital admissions was the highest, 14.09 per 10 in-home admissions, for a positivity rate of 59.6%, higher than the health area’s average (58.7%), with an average of 9.76 days from the date of the first consultation until the cases were blocked. Two deaths were reported.

Conclusions: The patients were characterized by a predominance of home admission among those over 46 years of age, with higher incidence between statistical weeks 27 and 38, and similar positivity rates across admission type and community councils.