Dengue Severity WHO

Dengue Severity (WHO 2009): Identify warning signs and severe dengue criteria from the WHO 2009 framework.

Clinical Factors

Assessment Tier

Dengue Without Warning Signs

Score 0

No major warning sign selected.

Guidelines & Evidence

Clinical Details

Section 1

When to Use

Use during early bedside triage when infection severity or treatment escalation is uncertain.

Support clinician judgement with a structured review of the highest-yield risk factors.

Standardise communication between admitting, ID, ICU, and pharmacy teams.

Section 2

Formula & Logic

Scoring Logic

Abdominal pain or tenderness (+1)

Persistent vomiting (+1)

Clinical fluid accumulation (+2)

Mucosal bleeding (+1)

Shock / severe plasma leak (+3)

Severe organ involvement (+3)

Section 3

Next Steps

Clinical Actions

Interpret the result together with source control, microbiology, host factors, and trajectory.

Escalate imaging, cultures, or specialist review when the tool lands in a high-risk tier.

Reassess dynamically if the patient deteriorates or new microbiology becomes available.

Section 4

Pearls/Pitfalls

Important Caveat

This tool supports structured infectious-disease decision making but does not replace clinician judgement or local guideline pathways.

Section 5

Evidence Appraisal

Evidence Base

This OpiCalc infectious-disease entry reflects commonly used guideline criteria and bedside risk features used in contemporary clinical practice.

Last Comprehensive Review: 2026

Related Infectious Disease Tools

APACHE II Sepsis Context

ATS IDSA CAP Severity

Bacteremia Risk Shapiro

Bacterial Meningitis Score

C difficile Severity Recurrence

Congenital Syphilis Risk

Have feedback about this calculator?Let us know.