Dengue Virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: Variant Circulation, Patient Outcomes, and Public-Health Response Strategies

Abstract

Background: Dengue is caused by mosquitoes that appear with different variants in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is alarming that several dengue virus serotypes are circulating across the province's districts, and the number of patients is increasing daily.

Objective: The main objectives of the study were to determine which dengue serotypes and variants have been circulating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, explain the typical symptoms seen in dengue patients and briefly describe the clinical outcomes reported by the hospitals, compare the dengue-related experiences of public hospitals with those of private healthcare facilities in the province, identify the demographic and clinical factors where increase the growing severe dengue cases, and provide practical and effective recommendations for public-health actions and clinical management to reduce dengue virus related illness and death tolls.

Methods: The data were gathered from published articles, provincial dengue surveillance updates, and clinical reports from three major public hospitals: Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), and Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). Clinical symptoms of patients, laboratory findings, serotype results, and public health responses were briefly summarised.

Results (summary): DENV-1 and DENV-2 are the common dengue serotypes. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports indicate that the infectious mosquito bite causes illness within 4 to 10 days. After ten days, the next stage of serotypes reaches and makes the conditions more severe for the patients. Hospitals closely monitored the frequent rise in hematocrit and low platelet counts in extreme situations. It is alarming for the patients who came late for treatment to the hospitals, and some patients did not survive, and the majority recovered from illness after prompt treatment.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the worst situation is being handled down after continuous monitoring of the virus serotypes and their variants in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. For this purpose, measures were taken to control mosquito breeding sites, prepare hospitals to cope with the situation, and raise public awareness of their role in combating dengue transmission and spread.