DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE, CLINICAL PRESENT

Objectives: To investigate the demographic profile, clinical presentation and outcome of patients with dengue virus
infection during the 2011 outbreak of Dengue fever, to judge the clinical pattern and severity of disease in Khyber
Pakhtoonkhwa.
Study Design: Cross sectional observation study.
Place and Duration of Study: Mardan Medical Complex Teaching Hospital Mardan. From July 2011 to November
2011.
Methodology: Fever clinic was established by the hospital administration in A&E department of Mardan Medical
Complex Teaching Hospital. Every patient with fever was thoroughly examined and screened for dengue fever. A
predesigned questionnaire was used to record history especially history of recent travel to endemic areas.
Results: Out of 66 patients, 54 (81.815%) were males and 12 (18.18%) were females. Mean age was 16——45
years (74.24%). The most common clinical features were fever (75.75 %), headache (60.60 %), retro-orbital pain
(45.45 %), bruises (15.15 %) and epistaxis (7.57 %). 51 (77.27 %) patients had classical dengue fever while dengue
hemorrhagic fever was observed in 15 (22.72 %) patients. All patients with Dengue hemorrhagic fever had WHO
grade I or II disease. All patients responded well to treatment and mortality rate was virtually zero.
Conclusion: Though KPK has been affected by Dengue outbreaks but the clinical presentation is less severe in KPK
when compared to Dengue outbreaks in other parts of the country particularly the Punjab province where WHO
grade 3 and 4 presentations are common. It could be because of the difference in circulating serotypes of Dengue
virus in this region or the expansion of the disease to KPK later than Punjab as severity of the disease is determined
by repeated bites by the mosquitoes responsible.