INCIDENCE OF DENGUE-FEVER IN RELATION TO CLIMATIC FACTORS IN LUDHIANA, PUNJAB

An outbreak of dengue fever occurred in Ludhiana in 1996 and 1997. A t otal of 505 patients who attended the hospital attached to Dayanand Me dical College, Ludhiana were clinically diagnosed to have dengue fever . Of these, 460 eases were noticed between October and December 1996 w hile during 1997 only 45 dengue fever cases were observed. Serological examination using dengue IgG and IgM blot was performed with single s erum samples of 189 patients. Of these, 129 serum samples were detecte d positive for anti dengue antibodies. Twenty eight patients died in t he dengue epidemic, 12 of whom suffered from dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and six with dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Male patients outnumb ered the female patients. Seasonal and cyclic pattern of the disease i ncidence was observed.