Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an acute febrile illness characterized by decreased platelet counts and hemoconcentration in patients infected with any one of four serotypes of dengue virus.
The disease has been increasing in the Carribean, Mexico, and Central and South America during the past 10 years, and tourists to these areas are liable to infection.
Today, with increasing use of air transport and interest in exotic vacations, more travelers to the tropics are returning within the incubation period of acute febrile infection.
Although, the disease has not been reported in Korea yet, it is suggested that DHF be included in the differential diagnosis, when a traveler returns from the tropics with fever.
We experienced a Korean female who began to have fever, headache, general weakness during stay in Sri Lanka, returned to Korea and was serologically confirmed as DHF.
We emphasize the need of Korea medical society' s attention with the first report of imported DHF in Korea.
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