Early detection of dengue through rapid diagnostic testing at airport quarantine: a case study from the Republic of Korea (2022-2024).

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effectiveness of rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) for the early detection of imported dengue cases at Gimhae International Airport in the Republic of Korea, and analyzed patient characteristics and response processes following positive results. METHODS: From 2022 to 2024, 334 individuals underwent RDT at the airport. Testing was performed for travelers presenting with dengue-like symptoms or recent mosquito bites. Two dengue RDT kits (NS1 and immunoglobulin G/M) were used, and confirmatory tests-including real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays-were performed for RDT-positive cases. Time intervals between sample collection and diagnostic confirmation were compared by institution type and day of the week. RESULTS: Of the 334 cases tested, 12 yielded positive RDT results, and 3 were confirmed as dengue. No confirmed cases were identified among asymptomatic travelers or those with travel durations shorter than 5 days. All 3 confirmed cases showed moderate or higher RDT intensity. The confirmatory results were negative for all 7 marginally positive cases. The average turnaround time for diagnostic confirmation was 4.00 days in hospitals versus 2.71 days in public health centers. Samples collected on weekdays produced faster results (2.33 days) than those collected across weekends (5.00 days). One individual with a strong RDT-positive result declined confirmatory testing. CONCLUSION: RDT is a valuable tool for detecting dengue at ports of entry. However, timely confirmatory diagnosis requires improved inter-agency coordination and logistical systems, particularly for weekend operations. These findings offer practical insights for strengthening quarantine-based infectious disease control.