Connecting surveillance, laboratory and clinical systems for better detection and response to dengue and other arboviruses in Lao PDR

The National Center of Laboratory and Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), convened a national consultation meeting, bringing together experts in surveillance, laboratory, and clinical care to strengthen early detection, investigation and response to dengue and other arboviral diseases.

Since the country's major dengue outbreak in 2013, dengue has remained one of Lao PDR's highest-priority public health challenges. Despite significant progress in dengue prevention and control, the disease continues to place a substantial burden on communities and health services.

"High-quality surveillance information is critical for effective dengue response,” said Dr Bouaphanh Khamphaphongphane, Director of the National Center of Laboratory and Epidemiology (NCLE). “Ensuring that prevention and response efforts reach the right place at the right time depends on timely, actionable information.”

Over the two-day meeting, participants worked through dengue outbreak scenarios to review surveillance processes, from alert notification to specimen collection and laboratory confirmation. Agreement was reached on alert thresholds and triggers for outbreak investigations across all health system levels and the community.

^{© WHO / Soudaphone Viravongsa}

^{© WHO / Enric Catala}

A key outcome of the meeting was clarifying the role of laboratory testing in dengue surveillance. While laboratory confirmation is not required for every suspected dengue case, targeted specimen collection and testing is needed to monitor circulating dengue serotypes and identify other arboviruses, such as chikungunya or Zika. Discussions also highlighted the important role of clinicians in early case detection, reporting, specimen collection, and linking patients with laboratories and rapid response teams.

“No single system can provide a complete picture of the dengue situation on its own,” said WHO Health Emergency Team Lead Satoko Otsu. “Bringing together epidemiological, laboratory and clinical information helps us better understand dengue transmission, identify emerging risks and support evidence-based public health action.”

The meeting contributes to broader efforts to strengthen health security and preparedness for dengue and other arboviruses in Lao PDR. It was supported by the Wellcome Trust through the WHO Global Arbovirus Programme, which aims to strengthen countries' capacities for the prevention, surveillance, diagnosis and response to arboviral diseases.

^{© WHO / Soudaphone Viravongsa}