Objectives: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of Dengue hemorrhagic fever among infants at Infectious Disease Department of Children's Hospital No.2.
Methods: Descriptive case series.
Results: A total of 52 infants participated in the study, with 78.8% aged 6 to 12 months, a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1, and 17.3% classified as overweight and obesity. The mean duration from symptom onset to hospital admission was 3.4 ± 1.4 days. Prevalent clinical manifestations included fever (100%), petechiae (65.4%), cough (61.5%), diarrhea (50%), and neurological signs (15.4%). Dengue with warning signs accounted for 38.5% of cases, while severe Dengue constituted 26.9%, of which 78.6% presented with shock. Laboratory findings revealed thrombocytopenia in 78.8% of cases (with 46.1% having platelet counts < 50,000/mm³), and a mean peak hematocrit of 39.1 ± 5.2%. Furthermore, severe liver transaminase elevation and coagulopathy were noted in 19.5% and 53.8% of cases, respectively. Ultrasound imaging, performed in 30 infants, identified gallbladder wall thickening (73.3%), ascites (73.3%), pleural effusion (66.7%), and hepatomegaly (63.3%).
Conclusion: Dengue hemorrhagic fever is frequently observed in infants aged 6 to 12 months, associated with a high proportion of severe Dengue cases. Because its non-specific clinical manifestations easily lead to misdiagnosis or being overlooked, maintaining a high index of suspicion is crucial for early recognition and prompt medical management.