RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiology and etiologic characteristics of a Dengue fever outbreak in Fuzhou from the beginning of September to the end of October in 2004 in order to understand the source of infection. METHODS: Data on descriptive epidemiology was collected to study the characteristics and related factors to the epidemic. Dengue virus was isolated through the use of C6/36 cell line while viral serotypes were identified by indirect immunofluorecent assay with type-specific monoclonal antibody. The sources of infection were traced by nucleotide sequencing. RESULTS: During the epidemic, 93 cases occured consistently with the region entomoplily growth and decay. The viruses of 6 strains isolated from 10 patients' blood specimens were identified as dengue virus type 1. Phylogenetic evidence suggested that the viral isolate had high genetic relation with the isolates from Kampuchea (DENV-1/KHM/2001; GenBank Accession No. L0904278). CONCLUSION: The epidemic was caused by introduction of patients migrating into Fuzhou.