Comparing diagnostic methods for historical arbovirus outbreaks: Insights from 19th century "dengue" epidemics.

ABSTRACT: This study reexamines historical "dengue" epidemics of the 18th and 19th centuries, suggesting that chikungunya virus (CHIKV), rather than dengue virus (DENV), may have been responsible for many of these outbreaks. While "dengue" was identified as a tropical disease in the 19th century, its exact characteristics remain unclear, and some descriptions align more closely with CHIKV, known for its distinctive symptom of joint pain. Three approaches were used to investigate these historical epidemics: (A) Expert opinion provided a contextualized and comprehensive analysis but faced criticism for its subjective nature (B) Clinical Score Application allowed for greater objectivity and a more stringent diagnosis, although it was limited by the need for a complete description (C) Double Proofreadin

SUBMITTER: Bonifay T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12468935 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature