def: Detection of nucleic acid of the Dengue virus in the blood circulation by a method such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR.
comment: Dengue viruses (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus) occur as four antigenically distinct serotypes. Infection with any of them generally leads to a mild, self-limiting febrile illness (dengue fever). However, a more severe form of the disease, involving vascular and hemostatic abnormalities (dengue hemorrhagic fever-dengue shock syndrome), is responsible for a high mortality rate, primarily among children.
New term request Dengue virus RT-PCR in blood or CSF positive (samant_101231001436): Cerebrospinal fluid; reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; RNA UMLS: 1540994