[Evaluation of IgM determination in acute serum for the diagnosis of dengue in an endemic area].

Evaluation of IgM determination in acute serum for the diagnosis of dengue in an endemic area We evaluated the clinical usefulness of dengue IgM detection in acute serum using an ELISA test in 167 patients with dengue and 225 patients with acute febrile syndrome of another etiology. The sensitivity of the test was 29.9%, specificity was 99.1%, positive predictive value was 96.2%, and negative predictive value was 65.6%. Because of the test's high specificity and positive predictive value, a positive result could support a diagnosis of dengue in endemic areas with a high degree of certainty; a negative result would require complementary studies.