Fatal Infection with Dengue Virus and Avian Orthoavulavirus 1 in Traveler Returning from Saudi Arabia to France, 2025.
Maud Salmona, Salomé Schlupmann, Morgane Mailhe et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 26-year-old previously healthy man presented with hemorrhagic fever, fulminant hepatitis, and shock shortly after returning from Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He succumbed to his illness 36 hours post-arrival. Postmortem analysis revealed low-level dengue virus RNA and NS1 antigen, alongside a severe infection with avian orthoavulavirus 1, characterized by elevated systemic cytokine responses.
What made this case unusual
The case is notable for the simultaneous detection of low-level dengue virus and an extremely high-titer avian orthoavulavirus 1 infection, which is uncommon in human cases.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider the possibility of co-infections in travelers returning from endemic regions, particularly when presenting with severe febrile illness.
Why it matters
This case highlights the need for heightened awareness of avian viruses in travelers, as they may present with atypical clinical features and contribute to severe outcomes.