Co-circulation of Chikungunya virus and Dengue virus in Kassala, Sudan

Abstract

Chikungunya fever was poorly documented and rarely considered in diagnosis of viral fevers according to the WHO, this study aimed to focus on co-circulation of chikungunya virus and dengue virus in Kassala state, Sudan, and highlights the clinical findings that are mutual in both viral infections, and laboratory investigations. This prospective study was conducted in Kassala state, Sudan. Upon 50 clinically suspected cases. The age group of the study population ranged from 14- 75 years old, all Chikungunya cases suffered from fever, (28%) of them were reported to have polyalrthralgia. Both genders were affected. 50 serum samples were examined for serology and molecular techniques for the detection of both chikungunya and dengue virus. Only (10%) of suspected chikungunya cases were IgM positive, and (42%) of study population were DENV IgM positive, only one patient (2%) was both CHIKV/DENV IgM positive. This study proved that chikungunya viral infection existed in Kassala state, Sudan while there is ongoing endemic infections of dengue virus thus co-circulation, and one case was proved to have both viruses’ IgM antibody, thus coinfection.