Table 1.1 Types of surveillance and their strengths and weaknesses for nine epidemic infectious diseases
Dengue
Years covered
Strengths and weaknesses
of reporting system
Dengue surveillance
is difficult to set up and maintain. Dengue fever (DF) is difficult to
recognize clinically because it has non-specific symptoms.
Type
of surveillance
Reporting
frequency
Passive
reporting of cases and deaths.
Routine
reporting.
Diagnosis of DF cannot be done on clinical judgement alone. There is a
lack of adequate laboratory infrastructure for dengue surveillance.
Data from Africa are missing from the global database.
A web-based system of reporting is under development that would allow
the collection of more complete data.