Under-recognition and reporting of dengue in Cambodia: a capture-recapture analysis of the National Dengue Surveillance System.

S. Vong (1) , S. Goyet (1) , S. Ly (1) , C. Ngan (2) , R. Huy (2) , V. Duong (1) , O. Wichmann (3) , G. W. Letson (3) , H. S. Margolis (3) , P. Buchy (1)

1 Institut Pasteur du Cambodge
2 National Dengue Control Programme
3 Pediatric Dengue Vaccine Initiative

Robust disease burden estimates are important for decision-making concerning introduction of new vaccines. Dengue is a major public health problem in the tropics but robust disease burden estimates are lacking. We conducted a two-sample, capture-recapture study in the largest province in Cambodia to determine disease under-recognition to the National Dengue Surveillance System (NDSS). During 2006-2008, community-based active surveillance for acute febrile illness was conducted in 0- to 19-year-olds in rural and urban areas combined with testing for dengue virus infection. Of 14 354 individuals under active surveillance (22 498 person-seasons), the annual incidence ranged from 13*4 to 57*8/1000 person-seasons. During the same period, NDSS incidence rates ranged from 1*1/1000 to 5*7/1000, which was 3*9- to 29*0-fold lower than found in the capture-recapture study. In hospitalized cases, the rate of under-recognition was 1*1- to 2*4-fold. This study shows the substantial degree of under-recognition/reporting of dengue and that reported hospitalized cases are not a good surrogate for estimating dengue disease burden.

Mots clés: Adolescent; Cambodia; Child; Preschool; Dengue; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Health Services Research; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Newborn; Male; Population Surveillance; Young Adult

Domaines: Virologie

S. Vong, S. Goyet, S. Ly, C. Ngan, R. Huy, et al.. Under-recognition and reporting of dengue in Cambodia: a capture-recapture analysis of the National Dengue Surveillance System.. Epidemiology and Infection, 2012, 140 (3), pp.491-9. ⟨10.1017/S0950268811001191⟩. ⟨pasteur-00805811⟩