Acute and Postacute Health Care Utilization and Costs After Dengue Infection: A Population-Based Cohort Study

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Dengue infection significantly increases the risk of emergency department visits and inpatient admissions in both acute and postacute phases.
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Patients with dengue had 11.938-fold higher rates of unique inpatient visits and 15.852-fold longer lengths of stay during the postacute period.
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The majority of excess health care costs due to dengue occurred in the acute phase, totaling approximately US$21.36 million.
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Postacute health care utilization remains elevated for up to 300 days following dengue infection compared to population-based controls.
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Chronic sequelae following dengue infection may lead to significant long-term health care burdens, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Open Forum Infectious Diseases

by Jue Tao Lim, Liang En Wee, Wei Zhi Tan, Calvin Chiew, Lalitha Kurupatham, Cuiqin Poh, Nur-Afidah Md Suhaimi, Hui Zi Chua, Lee Ching Ng, Po Ying Chia, David Chien Boon Lye, Kelvin Bryan Tan
July 3, 2025

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