2016 年 65 巻 3 号 p. 279-282
Dengue fever is a tropical disease caused by the dengue virus, and is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. In August 2014, a case of dengue fever in a patient with no history of overseas travel was confirmed in Japan for the first time in approximately 70 years. We herein report on this patient with dengue fever, whom we had the opportunity to treat for concomitant acute gingivitis.
The patient was a 17-year-old girl who visited the department of general internal medicine at our hospital in late August 2014 with a chief complaint of fever. Three days later, she visited the same department due to persistent fever, and was admitted for general management. Gingival swelling and redness in the right maxilla were observed following admission, and due to increased gingival swelling in both the upper and lower jaws the patient was referred to our department, on hospital day two, for detailed examination and treatment. The patient was diagnosed with acute gingivitis, which was treated using local irrigation.
On hospital day three, a diagnosis of dengue fever was confirmed. Local irrigation of the gingiva was continued daily, and gingival swelling and redness disappeared with improvement of her general condition.
The patient was thought to have developed acute gingivitis as a symptom accompanying the contracted dengue fever. Given that patients with dengue fever may visit dental clinics with complaints of oral symptoms, it is important for dental professionals to pay sufficient attention to these conditions.