Epidemiological profile of dengue in Champasak and Savannakhet provinces, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 2003–2020

Authors

  • Sumaira Zafar Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Hans J Overgaard Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway; Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
  • Tiengkham Pongvongsa Savannakhet Provincial Health Department, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR
  • Nanthasane Vannavong Champasak Provincial Health Office, Pakse, Lao PDR
  • Sysavanh Phommachanh Institute of Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR
  • Oleg Shipin Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Joacim Rocklöv Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
  • Richard E Paul Unité de la Génétique Fonctionnelle des Maladies Infectieuses, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
  • Md Siddikur Rahman Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; Department of Statistics, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, Bangladesh
  • Mayfong Mayxay Institute of Research and Education Development, University of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao PDR; Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit, Microbiology Laboratory, Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Lao PDR; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2022.13.4.932

Keywords:

dengue, epidemiology, Laos, disease burden, epidemiologic surveillance, seasonal variation, disease notification

Abstract

Dengue is a public health issue in tropical south-eastern Asia responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Information on dengue epidemiology is necessary for developing strategies to control infections effectively. In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Champasak and Savannakhet provinces account for around 30% of the national dengue burden. In this study, the dengue epidemiological profile in these two southern provinces of Lao PDR was described by analysing seasonal and spatial dengue notification data from 2003–2020 using the long-term mean (LTM) method. Savannakhet had a higher LTM (132.0 cases/month, 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 92.2–171.7) than Champasak (113.3 cases/month, 95% CI: 86.0–140.5), with peaks in dengue notifications following the rainy season in both provinces. The highest notification rates were observed in July to September; these months were also when the LTM was most frequently exceeded. Previously, dengue notifications were largely confined to the western districts of Savannakhet and the northern districts of Champasak, but more recently, notifications have increased in the eastern districts of Savannakhet and southern districts of Champasak. While the notification rate remained high in children and young adults (5–30 years), especially among students and farmers, a shift in the age structure of dengue cases was observed, with a greater proportion of notifications now occurring in those aged over 30 years. Community-based vector control and prevention programmes are needed to restrict the spread of dengue into new geographical areas in the southern provinces of Lao PDR.

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Published

23-11-2022

How to Cite

1.
Zafar S, Overgaard HJ, Pongvongsa T, Vannavong N, Phommachanh S, Shipin O, Rocklöv J, Paul RE, Rahman MS, Mayxay M. Epidemiological profile of dengue in Champasak and Savannakhet provinces, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 2003–2020. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2022 Nov. 23 [cited 2026 Mar. 22];13(4). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/932

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 4 (2022): October – December

Section

Surveillance Report

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