Dengue virus infections among Haitian and expatriate non-governmental organization workers--Léogane and Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2012

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Oct 30;8(10):e3269. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003269. eCollection 2014 Oct.

Abstract

In October 2012, the Haitian Ministry of Health and the US CDC were notified of 25 recent dengue cases, confirmed by rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), among non-governmental organization (NGO) workers. We conducted a serosurvey among NGO workers in Léogane and Port-au-Prince to determine the extent of and risk factors for dengue virus infection. Of the total 776 staff from targeted NGOs in Léogane and Port-au-Prince, 173 (22%; 52 expatriates and 121 Haitians) participated. Anti-dengue virus (DENV) IgM antibody was detected in 8 (15%) expatriates and 9 (7%) Haitians, and DENV non-structural protein 1 in one expatriate. Anti-DENV IgG antibody was detected in 162 (94%) participants (79% of expatriates; 100% of Haitians), and confirmed by microneutralization testing as DENV-specific in 17/34 (50%) expatriates and 42/42 (100%) Haitians. Of 254 pupae collected from 68 containers, 65% were Aedes aegypti; 27% were Ae. albopictus. Few NGO workers reported undertaking mosquito-avoidance action. Our findings underscore the risk of dengue in expatriate workers in Haiti and Haitians themselves.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aedes
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Dengue / epidemiology*
  • Dengue / etiology
  • Dengue / transmission
  • Dengue Virus / immunology
  • Female
  • Haiti / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.