Dengue
Full Review
Reviewed by: Herman Kosasih, MD, Dengue Researcher, Jakarta, Indonesia
Review posted 20 July 2005
Review No. 50
Content: The CD-ROM includes 10 interactive tutorials that provide an illustrated introduction to dengue worldwide.
Publication Date: 1 May 2005
Audience: The CD-ROM content is aimed at medical and life science students, their teachers, healthcare professionals, academics, and researchers.
Size: 227MB
Price: £5/US$9 developing country rate; £120/US$195 institutional rate; £30/US$55 individual rate
Manual needed: No
How to order:
Order online* from TALC for the developing country rate.
Order by mail:
TALC
PO Box 49
St Albans, Herts AL1 5TX
United Kingdom
E-mail: info@talcuk.org
Tel: +44 (0)1727 853869
Fax: +44 (0)1727 846852
Order online* from CABI Publishing for the developed country rate.
Order by mail:
CABI Publishing
Wallingford, Oxfordshire
OX10 8DE
United Kingdom
E-mail: publishing@cabi.org
Tel: +44 1491 832111
Fax: +44 1491 829292*This link takes you outside the ADBI website. Please use the back button to return to ADBI.org.
Content
This interactive CD-ROM is written by dengue experts and produced by the Wellcome Trust.* This CD-ROM consists of 10 chapters. Every chapter is well organized and includes objectives, an introduction, an overview, detailed discussions, and assessments. To make the presentation more interesting and to clarify any difficult concepts, approximately 460 pictures and animations, and 9 videos are provided. The images are both integrated into the chapter material and made available in a separate image gallery.
Chapter 1 is a general overview of all topics in brief.
Chapter 2 discusses several dengue epidemiology topics such as the disease history, the re-emergence of dengue as a major public health disease after World War II, factors that contribute to the socio-economic burden of disease, and the basis of global and regional (Asia, Latin America, Australia) patterns of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever trends. This chapter is very easy to understand since topics are not only explained by texts, but also through pictures, graphs, and maps.
Chapter 3 discusses several topics related to dengue transmission, including viral and vector biology, hosts, and transmission dynamics. Users are introduced to the life cycle and basic biology of the dengue virus, the main vectors and factors that affect transmission, and some characteristics of transmission. As mentioned previously, the complexity of these topics is described clearly using pictures and animations. However, the animations are very slow so users have to wait patiently.
Chapter 4 is about the pathology and pathogenesis of dengue. Topics range from disease severity and viremia, pathogenesis of plasma leakage, and other manifestations including neurological manifestations. The theories of pathogenesis explain clinical manifestations, pathology findings, and epidemiology observations. Current ideas about the immunopathogenesis of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), the correlation between viremia and increased vascular permeability, and how risks factors for DHF contribute to the enhancement of viremia and infected cells are elaborated clearly. Authors also include current controversial pathogenesis which is very important.
Chapter 5 describes topics related to clinical diagnosis. This chapter is systematically divided into clinical diagnosis in undifferentiated fever, dengue fever, DHF, and dengue shock syndrome. Authors describe the clinical features in time-scale appearance, which is very useful for clinicians. A very interesting video explaining how to correctly collect blood samples for hematocrit examination is inserted. The use of WHO Diagnostic Criteria 1997, which is very difficult to implement in developing countries, is also discussed. Instead, a modification that only distinguishes dengue infection and severe dengue infection is proposed.
Chapter 6 covers dengue laboratory diagnosis. Useful guidelines on how and when to collect blood specimens and how to handle these specimens until tested is presented along with an explanation of viremia and the kinetics of antibodies in primary and secondary infections. This helps users to better understand when interpreting the laboratory results. A complete review of laboratory assay, from very easy rapid tests to more advanced techniques, polymerese chain reaction, and the advantages and disadvantages of each test, is also well elaborated.
Chapter 7 discusses the principles of dengue case management related to underlying pathophysiology. The authors provide a very understandable flow chart of triage that helps clinicians in deciding the medication and treatment for their patients according to the severity of illness. Several inaccurate medical practices, such as the use of antibiotics, steroids, excessive intravenous fluids, and blood transfusions, are also criticized. It would be better to elaborate more on this discussion topic since such practices are very common and often fatal.
Chapter 8 describes how to prevent and control dengue infection. Types of surveillance to monitor dengue transmission (passive and active clinical surveillance, virological surveillance, serological surveys) are discussed thoroughly. Methods in vector surveillance and control along with the actions required to prepare an effective response to dengue epidemics are also elaborated. Clear guidance for public health officers in implementing a dengue control program is also provided. This chapter makes us aware that intersectoral collaboration among individuals, communities, local governments, health workers, policy makers, and the private sector, is very important in dengue control programs.
Chapter 9 describes a wide range of dengue research. The emphasis is on the pathogenicity of dengue viruses, vector control (transgenic mosquitoes), development of vaccines, dengue diagnosis and anti-viral drugs, and social, economic, and behavioural issues, which are relevant to dengue control.
Chapter 10 discusses several topics related to social, economic, and behavioural aspects. These include the social impact on individuals, communities and societies, behavioural factors affecting dengue transmission, and the strategies to spread information in order to enhance dengue knowledge and communicate the program to communities. Strategies are also explained using pictures, diagrams, and flowcharts based on experiences in certain countries.
*This link takes you outside the ADBI website. Please use the back button to return to ADBI.org.
User Friendliness and Navigability
This CD-ROM is very user-friendly. Users can move from one tutorial to another, from tutorials to images, and access key word searching and references very easily. Images always appear on every page to clarify what is explained in the text. However, here are several suggestions for improvement. First, users would benefit from the ability to print pages from the CD-ROM. Second, the animation would be more interesting if there were a voiceover accompanying the visuals. Third, the key word search needs a spell check function since many non-English speaking users may have problems in typing search terms correctly.
Distribution
This CD-ROM may be ordered online from CABI Publishing or TALC, or by fax/email. There are special rates for people from developing countries: $9 (ordered through TALC only). Other prices are $195 for institutions and $55 for students or individuals (ordered through CABI). See the How to Order section above for full details.
Sustainability
Some of material on this CD-ROM will remain relevant for a long time. However, other parts such as pathogenesis case management and research should be updated according to the new findings.
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