Virological surveillance for dengue haemorrhagic fever in Indonesia using the mosquito inoculation technique.

A dengue haemorrhagic fever surveillance system in Indonesia, based on virological and clinical observations, is described. The system uses the mosquito inoculation technique for virus isolation and is simple, economical, and well suited for endemic areas where support and facilities are limited. The data suggest that with good cooperation between the hospital and the virology laboratory, new serotypes and possibly even new strains of virus can be identified before the onset of epidemic activity. This type of virological surveillance may make it possible to prevent major epidemics in the future.