Presence of three dengue serotypes in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso): research and public health implications

Abstract

BackgroundThe significant malaria burden in Africa has often eclipsed other febrile illnesses. Burkina Faso’s first dengue epidemic occurred in 1925 and the most recent in 2013. Yet there is still very little known about dengue prevalence, its vector proliferation, and its poverty and equity impacts.MethodsAn exploratory cross-sectional survey was performed from December 2013 to January 2014. Six primary healthcare centers in Ouagadougou were selected based on previously reported presence of Flavivirus. All patients consulting with fever or having had fever within the previous week and with a negative rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for malaria were invited to participate. Sociodemographic data, healthcare use and expenses, mobility, health-related status, and vector control practices were captured using a questionnaire. Blood samples of every eligible subject were obtained through finger pricks during the survey for dengue RDT using SD BIOLINE Dengue Duo (NS1Ag and IgG/IgM)® and to obtain blood spots for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. In a sample of randomly selected yards and those of patients, potential Aedes breeding sites were found and described. Larvae were collected and brought to the laboratory to monitor the emergence of adults and identify the species.ResultsOf the 379 subjects, 8.7 % (33/379) had positive RDTs for dengue. Following the 2009 WHO classification, 38.3 % (145/379) had presumptive, probable, or confirmed dengue, based on either clinical symptoms or laboratory testing. Of 60 samples tested by RT-PCR (33 from the positive tests and 27 from the subsample of negatives), 15 were positive. The serotypes observed were DENV2, DENV3, and DENV4. Odds of dengue infection in 15-to-20-year-olds and persons over 50 years were 4.0 (CI 95 %: 1.0–15.6) and 7.7 (CI 95 %: 1.6–37.1) times higher, respectively, than in children under five. Average total spending for a dengue episode was 13 771 FCFA [1 300–67 300 FCFA] (1$US = 478 FCFA). On average, 2.6 breeding sites were found per yard. Potential Aedes breeding sites were found near 71.4 % (21/28) of patients, but no adult Aedes were found. The most frequently identified potential breeding sites were water storage containers (45.2 %). Most specimens collected in yards were Culex (97.9 %).ConclusionsThe scientific community, public health authorities, and health workers should consider dengue as a possible cause of febrile illness in Burkina Faso.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-016-0120-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Seroprevalence and factors associated with IgG anti‐DENV positivity in blood donors in Burkina Faso during the 2016 dengue outbreak and implications for blood supply

“…In the last half century, the prevalence of the dengue virus (DENV) has increased dramatically (up to 30%) worldwide, especially in Sub‐Saharan Africa . In Sub‐Saharan Africa, dengue fever represents an added underestimated burden to an infectious disease landscape dominated by malaria . In this context, febrile illnesses, including dengue, are likely to be misdiagnosed and treated as malaria.…”

“…The first dengue epidemic known in Burkina Faso occurred in 1925 . Since then, a significant number of cases was reported in the 1980s, in the 2000s and, more recently, during the 2013 and 2015 outbreaks . In 2016, Burkina Faso experienced another dengue outbreak.…”

A Case of Dengue Fever Imported from Burkina Faso to Japan in October 2016

“…In 2007, DENV-1 was identified (9); another outbreak, this time involving DENV-3, occurred in Burkina Faso from October 18 to November 8, 2013 (10). From December 2013 to January 2014, outbreaks of DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4 were reported in the country (11). In the recent outbreak of dengue in 2016, Eldin et al isolated DENV-2 from a traveler returning from Burkina Faso to France (12).…”

The Influence of Urbanization Modes on the Spatial Circulation of Flaviviruses within Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

“…Consequently, yellow fever is considered as an emerging or reemerging disease of considerable importance. Furthermore, since 2000, dengue cases have been described in several West and Central Africa countries: Burkina Faso (2007, 2008, 2013–2015), Cameroon (2006), Ivory Coast (2007, 2008, 2010), Gabon (2007, 2008, 2010), Mali (2008) and Senegal (2000, 2007–2009) [3,7,8,9]. In 2009, a large outbreak of dengue fever (more than 6000 cases) occurred in the Cape Verde Islands, where dengue virus was never isolated before, leading to considering the phenomenon as a true emergence of dengue fever in Africa [10].…”

“…The first dengue fever outbreak was described in the 1980s [12] and in the following years several limited outbreaks occurred in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, the country’s main towns. In 2013, dengue was reported in healthcare centers of Ouagadougou [9]. For yellow fever, the survey carried out by Yaro et al [13] in the Southwestern part of Burkina Faso showed an increase of confirmed cases between 2003 and 2005, possibly associated with the intensification of migration between Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.…”