Incidencia de infecciones sintomáticas y asintomáticas por virus dengue en Maracay, Venezuela: 2006 - 2007

the incidence rates of symptomatic and asymptomatic dengue virus (denv) infections in four "barrios" of maracay, venezuela, during one-year (october 2006-september 2007) were estimated. a prospective study consisting of house visits three-times a week to detect dengue cases, and semiannual serological surveys to determine probable asymptomatic dengue virus (denv) infections was conducted. the study subjects belonged to a cohort of 2,663 people ≥5 year-old. confirmatory diagnosis of denv infections was carried out by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr). serological surveys were performed by anti-dengue igm-capture immunoassay (mac-elisa). the results showed that the incidence rates for symptomatic and asymptomatic infections were determined to be 5.7 and 18.6 per 100,000 persons/day (p/d), respectively. the incidence rate of symptomatic infections was significantly higher in persons <15 year-old than that found in subjects ≥15 years (15.8 versus 2.9 per 100,000 p/d). on the other hand, the incidence rates of asymptomatic infections in both age groups were similar (17.3 and 18.9 per 100,000 p/d, respectively). all four denv serotypes were detected in three of the four "barrios" studied. finally, age and hyperendemicity were probably the contributing factors to the incidence of dengue in the four "barrios" investigated. surely, the asymptomatic infections contributed to increase the viral transmission in the study area.