DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i08.037

Pages: 2926-2930

Dengue virus is the most common cause of Arbo virus disease in the world causing an estimated 100 million cases of dengue fever, 250,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever and 25,000 deaths per year .The disease warrants early diagnosis for effective treatment to prevent mortality. The objective was to analyze the hematological parameters for early diagnosis of dengue. The parameters studied included hemoglobin, total leucocyte count, differential leucocyte count, platelet count and leishman stained peripheral smear examination after confirming it by antigen and serological tests. Thrombocytopenia was further correlated in association with NS1 Antigen (Ag) & IgM/IgG antibody positivity. Seasonal variations in Dengue positive cases were also observed. Out of 425 dengue positive patients proven by immuno chromatographic method; the common laboratory findings was thrombocytopenia, of which 101 (31.96 %) patients had a mild thrombocytopenia; 143 (45.25%) had moderate thrombocytopenia, and 72 (22.78%) had severe thrombocytopenia. Leucopenia was found in 37.8% of patients and 33.95% of patients had relative lymphocytosis. Reactive/atypical lymphocytes were seen in 11.05% of patients. Also noted was a raised hematocrit, seen in 15% of the patients. Inclusion of NS1 in the diagnosis of dengue increases the detection rate significantly. Thrombocytopenia correlates well when NS1 and IgM are detected simultaneously. In the present study, thrombocytopenia was the commonest associated findings. The other laboratory parameters like hemo concentration, leucopenia and atypical lymphocytes were also noted. They can be used as indicators for early diagnosis of dengue fever.