Seroprevalence of dengue in the general population of a Chinese southwestern border city: a community-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Dengue fever poses significant public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions, including areas of China-Myanmar border, in which the population-representative evidence on dengue seroprevalence is limited.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in December 2015 in Ruili, a border city in southwestern China. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling method. Demographic information, previous clinical and travel history, and environment-related factors regarding dengue were collected by structured interview, with serum samples tested for IgG antibodies using ELISA. Age- and gender-weighted seroprevalence was estimated based on the local demographic distribution. Associated factors for seropositivity were analyzed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

The study included 1,616 participants aged 1–95 years, with 58.42% being female. The weighted seroprevalence of Dengue was 4.43% (3.53–5.54). Residents of aged 45–54 years, border communities (adjusted odds ratio 6.39 [95%CI 2.98–13.74]), vector-environment exposed occupations (3.43 [1.34–8.82]), lower educational attainment (0.28 [0.09–0.86]), and high travel frequency to southeast Asia (8.94 [1.67–47.83]) tended to have higher seroprevalence. Moreover, we observed a symptomatic-to-asymptomatic ratio of 1:2.84 for dengue infections.

CONCLUSIONS

The seroprevalence of Dengue virus was low by 2015 in the study area, where dengue had not achieved widespread local transmission. Targeted interventions, enhanced surveillance, and cross-border collaboration are needed to mitigate dengue transmission in this region.