Challenges and epidemiological implications of the first outbreak of dengue and chikungunya in Sudan.

BACKGROUND: Dengue and chikungunya are mosquito-borne infections that are spreading rapidly worldwide. The highest burden lies in tropical and subtropical countries. In 2022 Sudan encountered the most widespread infection of both diseases.

AIM: To describe the magnitude of the first outbreak of dengue and chikungunya infections in Tandalti Town, White Nile State, southern part of Sudan.

METHODS: Following the report of a high number of undifferentiated febrile illnesses in 32 health clinics in Tandalti Town, an area with high densities of Aedes aegypti, we collected blood samples from symptomatic suspected cases. The samples were tested for major arboviral infections using arboviral-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (IgM capture ELISA), and serologically positive samples were confirmed using commercially available Real Time RT-PCR Kits.

RESULTS: Out of 773 suspected cases, 63 (8.15%) were confirmed. Eleven (17.46%) of the confirmed cases were DENV, 49 (77.77%) were CHIKV, and 3 (4.76%) were DENV and CHIKV co-infections. The outbreak started at the beginning of October and ended by mid December 2022. Both dengue and chikungunya infection was higher (41(65.08%)) among young females than males (22 (34.92%)).

CONCLUSIONS: White Nile State may experience larger outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya in the future, there is, therefore, an urgent need for proper vector control interventions in the state and nearby states.