Undetected Locally Acquired Infections of Dengue Virus in Southern California: Insights from a Retrospective Study of Kaiser Permanente Southern California Members, June–October 2024
- Presentation Day/Time: Tuesday, April 21, 11:30 AM
- Presenter: Casey Luc, PhD, MPH, EIS officer assigned to the Kaiser Permanente Southern California
The Issue
- Imported dengue virus (DENV) infections can cause severe illness or death, and infections occur frequently in California. However, locally acquired DENV were not reported until 2023. In 2024, 18 locally acquired DENV infections were reported in Southern California, likely underestimating transmission because of diagnostic barriers.
What We Did
- We used remnant blood specimens collected during June 1–October 31, 2024, from Kaiser Permanente members experiencing acute febrile illness (AFI) to test for DENV using expanded diagnostics and estimated DENV burden and proportion acquired locally in Southern California.
What We Found
- We found that DENV circulated extensively in Southern California in 2024 but was largely undetected by existing surveillance.
What This Means
- Greater clinical awareness might better define DENV burden and guide public health responses.
