Profuse Sweating and Hot Flashes: An Unusual Presentation of Post-Dengue Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract

The dengue virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome. DF is characterized by fever, headache, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, and skin rashes. However, some patients with DF develop post-dengue fatigue syndrome (PDFS) following their initial febrile episode. Fatigue is common during the febrile episode of DF; however, PDFS is defined as the presence of a stubborn sense of tiredness that results in a decreased capacity for physical and mental work. PDFS carries a spectrum of musculoskeletal and neurological features. Following the recovery of DF, vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes, excess sweating, and mood changes are rare. We present the first reported case of PDFS in a young woman in Sri Lanka.