Aspectos laboratoriais e anatomopatológicos no diagnóstico da dengue no Ceará em 2011 e 2012 : papel do serviço de verificação de óbitos de Fortaleza

Abstract

There is expressive epidemic outbreaks of dengue in Brazil and not all the cases with fatal evolution are diagnosed by the public health service. Objectives: survey the Coroner’s Office Dr. Rocha Furtado (CO-RF) impact in detecting death related to dengue inunsuspicious case by the clinician in Ceará. Methods: Were evaluated post-mortem examinations performed in the period from 2011 to 2012, due suspect of dengue and cases unsuspected by the clinician but that were suspected by pathologist. Biologic material (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, tissue from brain, liver, heart, lung, and spleen) was collected from all the autopsied bodies with dengue’s suspect. The sample test to IgM, NS1, viral isolation and PCR were sent to Central Laboratory of Public Health of Ceara (LACEN). The immunohistochemical test were performed at Evandro Chagas Institute in Amazon. Deaths due to dengue were confirmed only if they fulfilled the WHO criteria. This work was approved by the ethics committee of the Christus Universitary Center (078/2011). Results: 214 post-mortem examinations was performed and 121 (56,5%) were confirmed as dengue. CO-RF found 90 deaths due to dengue that did not have clinical suspicious throughout evolution of illness. Median age was 36 years old (5 months-84 yo), 54,5% were male and 54,1% had a family income above one minimum wage. Comorbidities were reported in 72.2% of this deaths notably hypertension (36.4%), heart disease (28,8%) and diabetes mellitus (22,9%). Alcoholism (32,9%), obesity (31%) and smoking(30,6%) were the main risk factors reported. Coinfections were detected in 46 cases in which bacterial organisms was the most prevalent (93.5%). Edema and hemorrhage occured in all organs with more marked edema in the lungs (79%) and central nervous system (71%). Hemorrage was predominant in suprarenal (31%) and lung (24%). Acute respiratory failure was the most frequently death’scause registered in death certificate (47,1%) followed by shock (33.8%). Conclusion: The joint between the CO-RF with the Center for Epidemiological Surveillance (NUVEP-CE) and LACEN helped to increased by 5.1 times the number of dengue’s related deaths. This is the largest historic series of autopsied deaths due to dengue in the world.