[5] This makes it possible to plan preventive or mosquito control strategies. Nevertheless, the efficiency of epidemiological surveillance is uneven and varies between countries. Dengue circulation and incidence are sometimes underestimated, particularly in Africa.[6] Surveillance of travel-acquired dengue could improve dengue
risk estimation in these countries. French soldiers can be considered travelers, since they carry out short missions or can be stationed in dengue endemic areas. Each year, 25,000 French soldiers spend time in an endemic area. Because dengue is a real threat for the French armed forces, this population is under constant epidemiological surveillance. This paper presents XL184 molecular weight the results of dengue virus circulation and dengue incidence rates for all the areas where French armed forces were stationed in 2010 to 2011, which enabled the dengue risk in each area to be identified. Epidemiological surveillance of dengue in the French armed
forces consists of continuous and systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and feedback of epidemiological data from all military physicians, wherever Selleck RXDX-106 they are located. Each patient with dengue symptoms requires blood sample. In French overseas departments and territories, samples are analyzed in local civilian laboratories, otherwise samples are sent to the National Arbovirus Reference Center based at the Institute of Tropical Medicine at the Army Health Service, Marseille, France (tests used are in-house assay, Mac Elisa and direct IgG Elisa).[7] Virus culture and/or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) are carried out if an early sample
is available; otherwise, serology is performed. Complementary Ag NS1 could be performed directly in local laboratories. A specific individual dengue case report form, containing administrative, geographical, clinical, and biological data, is also sent to the Institute of Tropical Medicine at the Army Health Service, Marseille, France. Possible dengue was Thymidylate synthase defined in an epidemic context of dengue as a fever higher than 38.5 °C associated with at least one of the following symptoms: headache, myalgia, retro-orbital pain, rash, hemorrhagic signs. Confirmed dengue was defined as any of the above symptoms with virological evidence (PCR, culture, NS1 antigenemia) or positive serology (IgM or IgG seroconversion). Here we report the results of analysis of the data obtained from specific dengue case report forms from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2011. Indicators are expressed as annual incidence and annual incidence rate. The denominator for the incidence rate is the average number of soldiers present in each dengue endemic area in 2010 to 2011. Statistical analysis was performed using R software. In 2010 to 2011, 208 possible dengue cases and 122 confirmed dengue cases occurred in the French armed forces.