Over 30 Per Cent Dengue Seroprevalence Among Kerala’s Children, Lancet Study Finds

New Delhi: A study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia journal has found a dengue seroprevalence of 30.9 per cent among children aged 9–12 and 24.6 per cent in 5–8-year-olds in Kerala, categorising it as low to moderate. The study unveils a nuanced landscape of dengue prevalence among children aged 5–12, shedding light on the complex dynamics of the mosquito-borne viral disease.

Seroprevalence is the number of persons in a population who test positive for a specific disease based on serology (blood serum) specimens.

With a sample size of 5,236, the research exposes regional variations and highlights the need for targeted preventive measures, the researchers said.

This prevalence is lower than many endemic countries but higher than Singapore, they said.

Watch: Change In Weather Patterns And The Rise Of Dengue

The team, including researchers from the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala University of Health Sciences, emphasises the importance of understanding these nuances for effective vaccination policies and public health interventions.

The research reveals a higher prevalence in urban areas and among the lower socio-economic group, emphasizing the influence of urbanisation on dengue transmission.

Boys show significantly higher seroprevalence, potentially linked to clothing and activity patterns, the researchers said.

The study indicates a hyperendemic situation in Kerala, with all four dengue serotypes circulating, and highlights the emergence of different strains over the years.

Also Read: Climate Change Pushes Dengue Into New Frontiers Across India

The researchers found that apparent dengue represents only a fraction of cases, with 89 per cent of children unaware of their past dengue infections.

This underscores the potential role of undetected individuals as primary reservoirs for dengue transmission, necessitating a reevaluation of control and prevention strategies, they said.

The researchers recruited students from randomly selected classrooms. The study’s findings have significant implications for dengue prevention strategies, the researchers said.

Despite an overall low to moderate prevalence, the high variability across clusters within the same districts underscores the need for targeted interventions, they said.

The study calls for urgent strengthening of preventive measures to curb potential severe outcomes and mortality due to dengue.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.