The present retrospective study was carried out at the Childrens Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, on 32 cases of laboratory-confirmed dengue in neonates. 

The findings revealed that 25% cases were misdiagnosed with neonatal sepsis and 12.5% cases were misdiagnosed with neonatal immune thrombocytopenia, initially. The median time between the first day of the mothers onset of fever and childbirth was -1 days. Patients clinical manifestations included – petechiaein 87.5%; pharyngeal mucosal hemorrhage in 6.3%; and hepatomegaly in 75%. In the febrile phase, the mean white blood cell (WBC) counts were 7800 ± 800/mm³ and platelets were 97,111 ± 37,826/mm³. In the critical phase, the mean WBC counts were 13,400 ± 2800/mm³, and platelets were 30,100 ± 5749/mm³. Meanwhile, all mothers had laboratory-confirmed dengue by NS1 positive in the perinatal period. 

It was concluded that early diagnosis of neonatal dengue should be based on a history of maternal illness, NS1 rapid test and clinical presentation such as petechiae, hepatomegaly and low platelet counts in the febrile phase.

Source: Journal of Clinical Virology. 2021 May;138:104758. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104758.