When an infected mosquito bites a human, the dengue virus enters the bloodstream, it binds to platelets and replicates leading to multiplication of infectious virus. The infected platelet cells tend to destroy normal platelets which is one of the major causes for the drop in the platelet count in dengue fever.
When does platelets decrease in dengue?
The platelet counts drop below normal level (150,000–450,000 platelets/μL) and may reach as low as <40000 platelets/μL during day 3–7 of fever in many patients6.
What is the lowest platelet count in dengue?
A typical person has a platelet count of between 150,000 and 250,000 per microlitre of blood. About 80 to 90 per cent of patients with dengue will have levels below 100,000, while 10 to 20 per cent of patients will see critically low levels of 20,000 or less.
