Ronald R. Matias, Ma. Giselle V. Espiritu, Jhoe Anthony R. Alfon, Deu John M. Cruz, Ma. Luisa G. Daroy, Efren Dimaano, Dengue Research Network, Filipinas F. Natividad, and Akira Igarashi
Research and Biotechnology Division, St. Luke’s Medical Center
Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman
San Lazaro Hospital
Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University
doi.org/10.57043/transnastphl.1999.5761
Abstract
Dengue fever (OF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) are persistent public health problems in the Philippines. In this study, two molecular techniques, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and lgM-capture ELISA, are used to detect the presence of dengue virus and dengue antibodies in patient sera, respectively. Serum samples of clinically diagnosed OF and DHF patients from different hospitals in Metro Manila and from field collections of the Field Epidemiology Training Program of the Department of Health were used. From the samples collected from January 1995 to May 1999, a total of 1,429 sera were analyzed by RT-PCR and 149 ( 10.4%) samples were positive for dengue virus. Serotyping using serotype-specific primers showed that the predominant serotypes in the Philippines during this period are dengue serotypes 2 and 3. A total of 1,391 sera was tested for the presence of antibodies to dengue by IgM-capture ELISA using tetravalent dengue antigen. Seven hundred sixty two samples (57.8%) were found positive for anti-dengue lgM.