Epidemiological Surveillance of Dengue in Camagüey Province, Cuba

Abstract

Introduction: Surveillance is an essential component in the daily work at all levels of the National Health System in Cuba. Dengue is a re-emerging disease, under strict surveillance and control in the country.

Objective: To characterize the epidemiological surveillance of dengue in Camagüey during 2021.

Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional research was carried out from January 1 to December 31, 2021. The study universe consisted of 13,961 patients with nonspecific febrile syndrome notified by the provincial statistics department in that year and who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results: 99.9% of the reported patients with nonspecific febrile syndrome were admitted, 50.2% admitted in the first 24 hours, 19% in 48 and 30.8% in 72 hours and more. 97.7% of the reactive immunoglobulins M corresponding to patients in the province behaved like dengue without alarm signs, 2.1% like dengue with alarm signs and only 0.2% manifested severe forms of the disease.

Conclusions: High percentage of patients with non-specific febrile syndrome detected by surveillance systems are admitted. Half of the registered febrile patients were admitted timely. The use of the operational classification of dengue proposed by the World Health Organization allowed a very low percentage of patients to manifest severe forms of the disease.