Introduction:

In 1981, Cuba registered its first epidemic of hemorrhagic dengue in America. Although in 1986 the transmitter mosquito was eliminated, a reinfestation happened in 1992. In 1997, dengue re-emerged with an epidemic outbreak in Santiago de Cuba municipality that included 3012 patients, 205 serious cases and 12 deaths. From then on, the new events in the region have been mainly associated with the DEN2 and DEN3 serotypes.

Objective:

To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of patients with dengue and signs of alarm during the epidemic of 2022.

Methods:

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out on 266 patients diagnosed with dengue and signs of alarm in Santiago de Cuba during 2022. The data were obtained from hospital reports that were sent to the Epidemiology Department of the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology. The analyzed variables included age, sex, residence municipality and signs of alarm. Percentages and rates were used as summary measures.

Results:

The highest incidences were found in patients under 15 years of age, especially in Santiago de Cuba, San Luis and Songo-La Maya. The most common signs of alarm were abdominal pain (54.1 %), vomits (44.3 %), marked weakness and placatopenia (22.5 %, respectively). The prevalent comorbidities included hypertension, diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma.

Conclusions:

The epidemic of 2022 was marked by the circulation of the DEN3serotype. The serious cases and signs of alarm were similar to previous outbreaks. Studies are required on the risk of comorbidities and medical training.

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