Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
From ProMED
Italy ex Egypt
Date: Thu 3 Jun 2010
From: Guido Calleri calleri@asl3.to.it [edited]
We were recently called in on consultation for 2 cases of suspected
dengue fever in travelers to the Red Sea resorts in Egypt, where the
disease was not reported in recent years. The 2 patients were
travelling together in early May 2010, and visited Marsa Alam,
Berenice, and Bir Shalatayn.
Case 1
------
A 72-year-old female, presented with fever, arthralgia, vomiting, and
diarrhea. Leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were present. Subsequently a
moderate impairment of consciousness appeared. Dengue serology was
negative at presentation. 10 days later dengue EIA IgG index was 21
(positive greater than 11), and IgM was 29 (positive greater than 11).
Dengue IFA IgG was 1/3200. Also West Nile fever [virus] serology was
positive (IgG 1/320, IgM negative: non-specific?). A slow improvement
of symptoms was seen and after 10 days the patient was discharged.
Case 2
------
A 71-year-old female, presented with fever, arthralgia, vomiting, and
diarrhea. Symptoms improved within 3 days and the patient was
discharged. Dengue serology was negative at presentation, and 10 days
later dengue EIA IgG index was 19 (positive greater than 11), and IgM
was 15 (positive greater than 11). Dengue IFA IgG was 1/3200. Also in
this case West Nile fever serology was positive (IgG 1/320, IgM
negative).
Investigation within TropNetEurop, a network for imported tropical
diseases, specifically reporting dengue cases, did not show dengue
reporting from Egypt in the last few years.
Is this another consequence of the broadening of _Aedes_ area, and
consequently of dengue area? The observation is significant because of
the large number of tourists [going] from Europe to the Red Sea resorts.
--
Guido Calleri
Filippo Lipani
Pietro Caramello
Amedeo di Savoia Hospital
Torino
--
Roberto Raso
Regional Epidemiology Unit for infectious Diseases
Alessandria
Italy
<calleri@asl3.to.it>
[ProMED-mail is grateful to Dr Calleri and colleagues for this report.
The number of dengue reports from North Africa and the Middle East are
very few, so one does not know if the virus is truly absent there, or
if transmission is occurring but is undiagnosed and unreported. It
would also be of interest to know if there are _Aedes albopictus_
present in the area where these patients live and hence, a risk of
ongoing transmission in Italy.
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,83113
Chikungunya outbreak in Italy :
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39502&highlight=italy
.
Italy ex Egypt
Date: Thu 3 Jun 2010
From: Guido Calleri calleri@asl3.to.it [edited]
We were recently called in on consultation for 2 cases of suspected
dengue fever in travelers to the Red Sea resorts in Egypt, where the
disease was not reported in recent years. The 2 patients were
travelling together in early May 2010, and visited Marsa Alam,
Berenice, and Bir Shalatayn.
Case 1
------
A 72-year-old female, presented with fever, arthralgia, vomiting, and
diarrhea. Leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were present. Subsequently a
moderate impairment of consciousness appeared. Dengue serology was
negative at presentation. 10 days later dengue EIA IgG index was 21
(positive greater than 11), and IgM was 29 (positive greater than 11).
Dengue IFA IgG was 1/3200. Also West Nile fever [virus] serology was
positive (IgG 1/320, IgM negative: non-specific?). A slow improvement
of symptoms was seen and after 10 days the patient was discharged.
Case 2
------
A 71-year-old female, presented with fever, arthralgia, vomiting, and
diarrhea. Symptoms improved within 3 days and the patient was
discharged. Dengue serology was negative at presentation, and 10 days
later dengue EIA IgG index was 19 (positive greater than 11), and IgM
was 15 (positive greater than 11). Dengue IFA IgG was 1/3200. Also in
this case West Nile fever serology was positive (IgG 1/320, IgM
negative).
Investigation within TropNetEurop, a network for imported tropical
diseases, specifically reporting dengue cases, did not show dengue
reporting from Egypt in the last few years.
Is this another consequence of the broadening of _Aedes_ area, and
consequently of dengue area? The observation is significant because of
the large number of tourists [going] from Europe to the Red Sea resorts.
--
Guido Calleri
Filippo Lipani
Pietro Caramello
Amedeo di Savoia Hospital
Torino
--
Roberto Raso
Regional Epidemiology Unit for infectious Diseases
Alessandria
Italy
<calleri@asl3.to.it>
[ProMED-mail is grateful to Dr Calleri and colleagues for this report.
The number of dengue reports from North Africa and the Middle East are
very few, so one does not know if the virus is truly absent there, or
if transmission is occurring but is undiagnosed and unreported. It
would also be of interest to know if there are _Aedes albopictus_
present in the area where these patients live and hence, a risk of
ongoing transmission in Italy.
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,83113
Chikungunya outbreak in Italy :
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39502&highlight=italy
.