Epidemiological trends of dengue at Photharam Hospital: Insights from one of ten clinical trial sites for the world’s first dengue vaccine in Thailand

Anongrat  Tiawilai; Chawin  Tiawilai; Thawat  Tiawilai; Nattachai  Srisawat; Umaporn  Limothai; Terapong  Tantawichien; Usa  Thisyakorn

Authors

Anongrat Tiawilai Photharam Hospital, Ratchaburi, Thailand
Chawin Tiawilai Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
Thawat Tiawilai Photharam Hospital, Ratchaburi, Thailand
Nattachai Srisawat Tropical Medicine Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand and Center of Excellence in Critical Care Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Umaporn Limothai Tropical Medicine Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand and Center of Excellence in Critical Care Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Terapong Tantawichien Tropical Medicine Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Usa Thisyakorn Tropical Medicine Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Keywords:

Dengue, epidemiology, Photharam Hospital

Abstract

Background: Dengue is a widespread viral disease that is transmitted by vectors and has impacted more than 120 nations. In 2019, a concerning 5.2 million dengue cases were reported, with Asia bearing 70.0% of the global burden. Moreover, half of the global population faces the risk of dengue.

Objective: The goal of this research was to illustrate the epidemiological pattern of patients with dengue who were admitted to Photharam Hospital in Ratchaburi province, Thailand, one of the ten clinical trial sites for the world’s first dengue vaccine.

Methods: Data from patients with dengue who were admitted to Photharam Hospital, a provincial healthcare center in Ratchaburi province, Thailand, from January 2014 to December 2022, were collected and analyzed. Diagnosis of dengue subcategories was determined according to the clinical and laboratory criteria outlined by the 1997 WHO classification.

Results: A total of 2,273 patients with dengue were admitted, comprising 1,105 males (48.6%) and 1,168 females (51.4%). Of these, 882 patients (38.8%) were children aged 0–14 years, while 1,391 patients (61.2%) were aged ≥15 years, indicating a higher incidence among adults. Cases occurred throughout the year, with peaks during the rainy season from June to September. Based on the 1997 WHO classification, 1,524 cases (67.0%) were dengue fever (DF), 737 cases (32.4%) were dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and 12 cases (0.5%) were dengue shock syndrome (DSS). There were five fatalities (0.22% case fatality rate), with underlying conditions including obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The median duration of illness before hospitalization was 5 days, with death occurring at a median of 3 days post-admission.

Conclusion: Our findings reveal changing epidemiology at Photharam Hospital, particularly in the age group distribution of patients with dengue. These insights are crucial for developing strategies to prevent and control dengue epidemics. The observed epidemiological trends may have relevance to regions experiencing similar changes in population demographics.

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