Heterogeneity of dengue transmission in an endemic area of Colombia
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008122
- PMID
- 32925978
- PMCID
- PMC7571714
- OpenAlex
- W3086154043
- Study type
- Cross-sectional study
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Findings indicate long-term endemic DENV circulation with substantial fine-scale spatial heterogeneity between nearby urban and rural areas, a consideration noted as relevant for designing control measures including vaccination.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study aimed to quantify age-specific seroprevalence and the force of dengue infection in an endemic Colombian setting, with attention to differences between urban and rural locations.
Study design
A household-based cross-sectional serological survey was conducted between July and October 2014, using questionnaires and IgG ELISA testing of blood samples, combined with catalytic modelling to estimate the force of infection.
Population and setting
The study enrolled 1,037 individuals aged 2 to 40 years across 40 randomly selected urban locations in Piedecuesta, Santander, Colombia, plus 246 individuals from rural veredas.
Main findings
Overall DENV seroprevalence was 70%, markedly higher in urban (81%) than rural (21%) locations. Catalytic models estimated that about 12% of susceptible urban individuals are infected each year. In urban areas, only a prior physician-diagnosed dengue history was associated with seropositivity, while in rural areas, travel outside the vereda and being born outside Santander were associated with higher seropositivity.
Public-health relevance
Findings indicate long-term endemic DENV circulation with substantial fine-scale spatial heterogeneity between nearby urban and rural areas, a consideration noted as relevant for designing control measures including vaccination.
Important limitations
No explicit limitations are stated in the abstract. The summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata; the original paper is required for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
The paper provides context on spatial heterogeneity of dengue transmission relevant to discoverability of transmission patterns; it does not, on its own, confirm or refute any specific surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 13 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.