OBJECTIVES: To report the historical aspects, epidemiological and clinical features of dengue fever in children, stressing the importance of disease reporting for prevention of deaths and morbidity in children. DATA SOURCE: A review of the major studies published on dengue and dengue in children was performed. The following databases Lilacs, SciELO, Medline and Scopus were studied along with official documents of the Ministry of Health of Brazil. The search covered the period from January 1980 to March 2011 and a combination of the following terms was applied: dengue, dengue in children, pediatric dengue, and disease notification. DATA SYNTHESIS: All studied found were evaluated and a timeline and key information connected to the theme were established; factors related to the virus and the vector were also included, and information on the clinical characteristics and importance of reporting the disease have been identified, as well as relevant research and elucidation of all deaths reported. There are a number of studies on the subject, but a greater emphasis was given to those relevant to children. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge of this disease, which constitutes the main emerging and reemerging disease at the present, is essential for early diagnosis, timely treatment and prevention of deaths. Adequate report of cases is still lacking as well as an improvement of description of deaths in children with dengue.
dengue; child; disease notification
