Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of severe dengue

Abstract Severe dengue (SD), characterized by rapid progression and high mortality risk, poses a major challenge to clinical practice and public health prevention and control. In China, unlike in some highly endemic regions abroad, SD primarily affects older patients and those with underlying comorbidities. To standardize the clinical diagnosis and management of SD in China, an expert group developed the Chinese Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Dengue based on a systematic literature search and expert discussions. The document elaborates on the definition and mechanisms of SD and recommends diagnostic criteria, warning signs, and therapeutic strategies tailored to the Chinese clinical context. It aims to improve clinicians’ capacity for the early recognition of and timely intervention for SD, thereby reducing mortality and advancing the overall standard of SD diagnosis and treatment in China.