Resumo

VALERO, Nereida et al. Evaluation of the immunity against the Venezuelan equine Encephalitis and dengue virus in the human population ofSan Carlos, insular municipality of Almirante Padilla, state of Zulia. 1996. Invest. clín [online]. 2001, vol.42, n.3, pp.161-170. ISSN 0535-5133.

The Insular Municipality of Almirante Padilla, historically, has been affected by Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) epidemics, that have occurred cyclically in the Paez, Mara and Almirante Padilla Municipalities of the State of Zulia. During the last epidemic outbreak (1995), the studies reported a great number of cases of VEE in humans, based on epidemiologic-clinical diagnosis; occupying this municipality, the first place in the attack rate by the virus. At the same time, Dengue has been defined as an endemic illness affecting different regions, whose etiologic agent has previously circulated in the studied zone. In order to evaluate the immunity acquired against these viruses, a serological study was conducted in San Carlos Island. Two hundred and ten blood samples were obtained at random, among individuals of an age range between < 1 and 69 years, with and without antecedents of viral illness symptomatology at the moment of the epidemic outbreak, occurred in 1995. The samples were classified according to sex and age, and analyzed through the test of ELISA for specific IgG antibodies against the VEE and Dengue viruses. From the total of the samples processed, 116 (55,2 %) were positive for VEE, affecting uniformly all age - groups with a slight masculine predominance. Likewise, 88 cases (41,9 %) were determined positive for Dengue virus, affecting mainly the group ranging from 10 to 19 years. These results let us suggest that the epidemic outbreak occurred in 1995 at the Almirante Padilla Insular Municipality, had a double nature with both viruses being involved in the etiology of febrile cases.

Palavras-chave : Seroepidemiology; Venezuelan equine Encephalitis; Dengue; antibodies..