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Original Article

Fatal Cases in the 2014 Dengue Epidemic in Taiwan

DOI: 10.6525/TEB.20150908.31(17).001

Min-Nan Hung1, Jui-Kuang Chen2, Pao-Jen Hsu3, Tun-Chieh Chen4, Chun-Yu Lin5, Yao-Shen Chen6, Jien-Wei Liu7＊

2015 Vol.31 NO.17

Correspondence Author： Jien-Wei Liu

  • 1.Kaohsiung-Pingtung Regional Center, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan
  • 2.Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital
  • 3.Yuan’s General Hospital
  • 4.Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University
  • 5.Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University
  • 6.Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital
  • 7.Division of Infectious Diseases, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Chang Gung University Medical College, Taiwan

Abstract：

Dengue is the most important vector-borne infectious disease in Taiwan and always inflicts a significant health burden mainly on the population in southern Taiwan. The 2014 dengue epidemic, larger than ever before, started as early as May 2014 when the first case was noted in Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung. Up to 15,211 dengue cases from this dengue epidemic, including 134 dengue hemorrhagic fever cases and 20 fatalities, were reported by February 2015. Specific therapeutic agents for dengue are currently not available. Effective medical management has been, however, proven to increase survival among dengue patients, and thereby cannot be overemphasized. After the first two fatal dengue cases being reported in August 2014, Taiwan CDC and the Department of Health, Kaohsiung City Government co-organized mortality conferences in hospitals where fatal cases happened. Physicians with expertise in dengue medical management were invited to participate in these mortality conferences. This report summarizes and highlights the pitfalls for clinical management of dengue found from reviews and detailed discussions of fatal cases,serving as a reminder of how to avoid such pitfalls and underscoring the importance of effective medical management for dengue.  

Keywords：Dengue；Dengue hemorrhagic fever；Shock；Warning signs；Plasma leakage
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