SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF RECENT DENGUE VIRUS INFECTION AMONG FEBRILE CHILDREN IN A SEMI ARID ZONE

Presence of Dengue virus has been established in Nigeria; owing to the severity of this disease and its attendant complications we investigated the presence of this virus serologically in febrile Nigerian children under 5 years of age from Ilorin. Blood samples were tested from 130 children under the age of 5 years for the presence of IgM antibodies against all the Dengue virus serotypes using ELISA Kit by IVD research, Inc (R) California USA. A prevalence rate of 40(30.8%) was recorded, with male children having a higher rate of 30(44.1%) while female children recorded 10(16.1%). Age range distribution was highest in group 3>5 years with 10(62.5%) and lowest in age group <1 with 12(16.2%). Our findings in this study indicate potential endemicity of this virus infection in some parts of Nigeria. We therefore recommend further studies into circulating serotypes in human populations and urgent preventive and control measures of this emerging infectious disease.