Expanded Dengue Syndrome - A Lesson Learnt

Dengue virus (DV) is omnipresent, globally distributed flavivirus and is primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, found through-out the tropical and subtropical regions of over 100 countries. Unusual manifestations of Dengue fever (DF) with severe organ involvement such as liver, kidneys, brain or heart associated with dengue infection have been increasingly reported in dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and also in dengue patients who do not have evidence of plasma leakage. Expanded dengue syndrome is a new term added into World Health Organization (WHO) classification system to incorporate this wide spectrum of unusual manifestations. We report a case of tropical fever that presented as suspected brain stroke with seizures and later diagnosed to have dengue fever-expanded dengue syndrome. The presentation, diagnostic dilemma and management are discussed.