Hyperferritinaemia in Dengue Virus Infected Patients Is Associated with Immune Activation and Coagulation Disturbances.

Background: During a dengue outbreak on the Caribbean island Aruba, highly elevated levels of ferritin were detected in dengue virus infected patients. Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant and hyperferritinaemia is a hallmark of diseases caused by extensive immune activation, such as haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hyperferritinaemia in dengue patients was associated with clinical markers of extensive immune activation and coagulation disturbances. Methodology/Principal Findings: Levels of ferritin, standard laboratory markers, sIL-2R, IL-18 and coagulation and fibrinolytic markers were determined in samples from patients with uncomplicated dengue in Aruba. Levels of ferritin were significantly increased in dengue patients compared to patients with other febrile illnesses. Moreover, levels of ferritin associated significantly with the occurrence of viraemia. Hyperferritinaemia was also significantly associated with thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes and coagulation disturbances. The results were validated in a cohort of dengue virus infected patients in Brazil. In this cohort levels of ferritin and cytokine profiles were determined. Increased levels of ferritin in dengue virus infected patients in Brazil were associated with disease severity and a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile. Conclusions/Significance: Altogether, we provide evidence that ferritin can be used as a clinical marker to discriminate between dengue and other febrile illnesses. The occurrence of hyperferritinaemia in dengue virus infected patients is indicative for highly active disease resulting in immune activation and coagulation disturbances. Therefore, we recommend that patients with hyperferritinaemia are monitored carefully. Author Summary: Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant and produced by reticulo-endothelial cells in response to inflammation and infection. In general, ferritin levels are increased in inflammatory conditions, but in this study we found that ferritin levels were much higher in dengue virus infected patients than in patients with other febrile illnesses. This indicates that ferritin could be used as a marker to discriminate between dengue and other febrile diseases. Moreover, the presence of hyperferritinaemia (ferritin levels≥500 µg/L) was associated with markers of immune activation and coagulation disturbances and clinical disease severity, suggesting that it could serve as a marker of activity of disease. Clinical markers to determine the presence and severity of dengue virus infection are important for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Our results indicate that increased ferritin levels could be used to increase the likelihood on a positive dengue diagnosis. Moreover, patients with hyperferritinaemia should be monitored carefully, because they are at risk to develop severe disease due to extensive immune activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]