Low level of dengue infection and transmission risk in Hong Kong: an integrated analysis of temporal seroprevalence results and corresponding meteorological data

Int J Environ Health Res. 2024 Jan;34(1):328-339. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2022.2149709. Epub 2022 Nov 23.

Abstract

Hong Kong is an Asia-Pacific City with low incidence but periodic local outbreaks of dengue. A mixed-method assessment of the risk of expansion of dengue endemicity in such setting was conducted. Archived blood samples of healthy adult blood donors were tested for anti-dengue virus IgG at 2 time-points of 2014 and 2018/2019. Data on the monthly notified dengue cases, meteorological and vector (ovitrap index) variables were collected. The dengue virus (DENV) IgG seroprevalence of healthy adults in 2014 was 2.2% (95%C.I. = 1.8-2.8%, n = 3827) whereas that in 2018/2019 was 1.7% (95%C.I. = 1.2-2.3%, n = 2320). Serotyping on 42 sera in 2018/2019 showed that 22 (52.4%) were DENV-2. In 2002-2019, importation accounted for 95.3% of all reported cases. By wavelet analysis, local cases were in weak or no association with meteorological and vector variables. Without strong association between local cases and meteorological/vector variables, there was no evidence of increasing level of dengue infection in Hong Kong.

Keywords: Dengue; Meteorological factors; Time series.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Dengue Virus*
  • Dengue* / epidemiology
  • Hong Kong / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G