Cross-sectional study on the association between seroprevalence among children and their parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a dengue-endemic city in Bangladesh

@article{gonzalez2026crosssectional,
  title = {{Cross-sectional study on the association between seroprevalence among children and their parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a dengue-endemic city in Bangladesh}},
  author = {Claudia Ximena Robayo Gonzalez and Bouchra Nasri and Marie-Catherine Gagnon-Dufresne and Avijit Saha and Laura Pierce and Mushfiqur Rahman and John Barnard Mackfield and Yang Zhang and Mrittika Barua and Md. Mizanur Rahman and Malay Kanti Mridha and Valéry Ridde and Kate Zinszer},
  journal = {PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0014802},
  url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014802},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Cross-sectional study on the association between seroprevalence among children and their parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a dengue-endemic city in Bangladesh
AU  - Claudia Ximena Robayo Gonzalez
AU  - Bouchra Nasri
AU  - Marie-Catherine Gagnon-Dufresne
AU  - Avijit Saha
AU  - Laura Pierce
AU  - Mushfiqur Rahman
AU  - John Barnard Mackfield
AU  - Yang Zhang
AU  - Mrittika Barua
AU  - Md. Mizanur Rahman
AU  - Malay Kanti Mridha
AU  - Valéry Ridde
AU  - Kate Zinszer
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/21
JO  - PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014802
UR  - https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014802
AB  - Introduction: Bangladesh is experiencing a drastic increase in dengue infections since 2019, with a record number of cases exceeding 300,000 in 2023 and 102,082 cases in 2025. Control of dengue, spread by Aedes mosquitoes, requires an in-depth understanding of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding prevention strategies and their association with the risk of infection. This association has been rarely examined in adults and even more rarely in relation to the risk of infection in children. This study aimed to investigate the association between parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and children’s dengue seropositivity in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four neighborhoods of Dhaka in November and December 2023. A total of 297 parents and 412 children aged 2–12 years participated in the study. Parents completed a questionnaire that collected data on their previous dengue experiences, sociodemographic characteristics, social capital, and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to dengue. Children’s capillary blood samples were collected via finger prick and tested for IgM and IgG dengue antibodies. The relative risk (RR) of dengue seropositivity was estimated using a modified Poisson regression model with robust error variance. Results: The median ages of the parents and children were 32.5 and 6.7 years, respectively. The adjusted seroprevalence of dengue for both IgM and IgG in children was 14.0% (95% CI 10% -19%). Parents’ KAP scores were classified as intermediate knowledge of the disease in 60.3% of participants; 64.3% reported positive attitudes towards dengue control and prevention actions; and 62.0% had a high score for dengue prevention practices. A higher parent attitude score was associated with lower child seropositivity (aRR 0.77, 95% CI 0.60-0.99). Conclusions: These findings provide preliminary insight into the factors associated with dengue seropositivity in children in Dhaka, offering additional information about parents’ attitudes towards dengue risk and prevention and the relationship with child’s seropositivity. This information can guide public health interventions, such as dengue control campaigns. A more in-depth exploration of the context will help to understand the cultural and social factors that shape KAP in Dhaka. Author summary: Dengue is an infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes and found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, such as Bangladesh. It presents symptoms including fever, pain behind the eyes, and muscle and joint pain, which can progress to abdominal pain and bleeding, and may become life-threatening. Children are at higher risk of contracting the infection and requiring hospitalization. Our study included 297 parents of 412 children aged 2–12 years in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Our objective was to understand how knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding dengue may influence the risk of infection in children. We conducted a survey of parents’ knowledge, opinions, and practices regarding dengue, its control, and prevention, and we administered a dengue screening test to children to determine if they had previously been infected with dengue. Overall, we found that positive attitudes toward prevention practices and the perception of dengue as a serious illness were associated with reduced risk of infection in children. Additionally, participants demonstrated knowledge about dengue and recognized prevention practices. These results suggest that other factors, such as attitudes or perceptions, may influence the risk of infection in this population.
SN  - 1935-2735
SN  - 1935-2727
ER  -