Outbreak investigation report of dengue fever during June-November 2014: A case study of district Swat, Pakistan

Objective: To determine the frequency distribution of dengue fever during the 2014 outbreak in a district in northern Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and November, 2014, at Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital, Swat, Pakistan, where patients were screened for dengue virus non-structural protein using Dengue Duo strips from Standard Diagnostics (SD). Data was obtained from patient's record, filled forms and through questionnaire. Results: Of the total 812 patients, 290(35.71%) tested positive for dengue virus non-structural protein, of whom 175(60.34%) were males and 115(39.66%) were females. Overall, 146(50.34%), cases were recorded in the 16-30 age group, while 7(2.41%) were reported in those aged > 60 years. The highest numbers of cases were recorded from Faizabad 84(28.96%), whereas the lowest numbers of cases 42(14.48%) were reported from Sethi Amankot. Conclusion: Dengue virus affected male individuals more compared to female. The affected areas had poor drainage and water storage system.