Descriptive study of complications of dengue during the 2016 outbreak in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Introduction: severe dengue fever is the most common cause of hospitalization and death among children and adults in Asia. Severe forms are uncommon in Africa, but they are increasingly reported. The purpose of this descriptive study, carried out in the city of Ouagadougou, is to better understand the epidemiology of severe forms of dengue observed during this outbreak. Methods: we conducted a 12-month retrospective, crosssectional, descriptive study of patients with severe dengue in 15 health facilities. The diagnosis of dengue was based on BIOLINE Duo rapid test, and a few samples were found positive for serotype 2 dengue, responsible for the epidemic according to the Pasteur Institute in Dakar. Results: male patients accounted for 57.5% of the study population, with an average age of 38 years. The frequency of severe forms was 33.8%, the main complications were acute renal failure, neurological complications and haemorrhagic dengue, respectively in 20.2%, 19.6%, 17.3% of cases. Malaria was associated with it in 24.6% of cases. Lethality accounted for 7.2% among severe forms. Conclusion: complications of dengue are not uncommon in Africa, and factors associated with dengue severity should be investigated for a better management of dengue cases.