Dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections among Dutch travellers to Suriname: a prospective study during the introduction of chikungunya and Zika virus, 2014 to 2017

Femke W Overbosch; Janke Schinkel; Amy Matser; Gerrit Koen; Irene Prange; Maria Prins; Gerard Jb Sonder

doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.2.2200344

Dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections among Dutch travellers to Suriname: a prospective study during the introduction of chikungunya and Zika virus, 2014 to 2017

Euro Surveill. 2023 Jan;28(2):2200344. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.2.2200344.

Authors

Femke W Overbosch¹, Janke Schinkel², Amy Matser^{3

4}, Gerrit Koen², Irene Prange¹, Maria Prins^{3

4}, Gerard Jb Sonder^{3

1}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infectious Diseases, Public Health Service (GGD), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
² Department of Medical Microbiology, Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute (AIII), Amsterdam UMC, location Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Infectious Diseases Research and Prevention, Public Health Service (GGD), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

PMID: 36695478
PMCID: PMC9837856
DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.2.2200344

Abstract

BackgroundSuriname, a country endemic for dengue virus (DENV), is a popular destination for Dutch travellers visiting friends and relatives and tourist travellers. Chikungunya and Zika virus (CHIKV, ZIKV) were introduced in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Data on infection risks among travellers are limited.AimWe aimed to prospectively study incidence rate (IR) and determinants for DENV, ZIKV and CHIKV infection in adult travellers to Suriname from 2014 through 2017.MethodsParticipants kept a travel diary and were tested for anti-DENV, anti-ZIKV and anti-CHIKV IgG antibodies (Euroimmun). Selected samples were subjected to an in-house DENV and ZIKV PRNT50. The IR (infections/1,000 person-months of travel) and IR ratio and determinants for infection were calculated.ResultsTravel-acquired infections were found in 21 of 481 participants: 18 DENV, four ZIKV and two CHIKV, yielding an IR_DENV of 47.0 (95% CI: 29.6-74.6), IR_ZIKV of 11.6 (95% CI: 4.4-31.0) and IR_CHIKV of 5.6 (95% CI: 1.4-22.2)/1,000 person-months. In nine DENV and three ZIKV infected participants, infections were PRNT50-confirmed, yielding a lower IR_DENV of 23.3 (95% CI: 12.1-44.8) and an IR_ZIKV of 8.4 (95% CI: 2.7-26.1) per 1,000 person-months. Tourist travel was associated with DENV infection. ZIKV and CHIKV infections occurred soon after their reported introductions.ConclusionsDespite an overestimation of serologically confirmed infections, Dutch travellers to Suriname, especially tourists, are at substantial risk of DENV infection. As expected, the risk of contracting ZIKV and CHIKV was highest during outbreaks. Cross-reaction and potential cross-protection of anti-DENV and -ZIKV antibodies should be further explored.

Keywords: Suriname; Zika virus infections; chikungunya virus infections; dengue virus infections; prospective; travellers.

MeSH terms

Adult
Chikungunya Fever* / diagnosis
Chikungunya Fever* / epidemiology
Chikungunya virus*
Dengue Virus*
Dengue* / epidemiology
Humans
Prospective Studies
Suriname / epidemiology
Zika Virus Infection* / diagnosis
Zika Virus Infection* / epidemiology
Zika Virus*