Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Preventable DHF Cases at Samut Songkhram in 2007-ผู้ป่วยไข้เลือดออกที่ควรป้องกันได้ ในจังหวัด สมุทรสงคราม พ.ศ. 2550

Abstract

                Dengue (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a global major public health problem and in Thailand.  In 2007, Samut Songkhram province registered 383 cases of patients with DF and DHF, or the morbidity rate of 196.4 per 100,000 population.  The province thus ranked seventh in the country, but the second highest in Health Region 7.   Within the province itself, Mueang district had an average of 1.36 outbreaks per village while Bang Khonthi and Amphawa Districts had 0.50 and 0.45 outbreaks per village respectively.  Of the total 383 patients found, 79 cases (or 20%) would have been preventable if preventive measures had been effectively implemented.  The Paediatric department at Somdetphraphutthalertla general hospital has developed a self-help manual for parents on how to diagnose and take care of their children suspected of developing DHF in order to minimize the risk of delayed hospitalization due to unrecogniz able shock symptoms.  Of those 28 DHF patients with the shock symptoms, 24 developed the shock after admission while only 4 did prior to admission.  Effective prevention of dengue at the provincial level requires good collaborations among local authorities in regularly monitoring any possible outbreaks and in following up the cases by taking into account the phenomenon in each village and in particular, the number of preventable cases.

Key words:      Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, shock, prevention