The laboratory diagnosis of fatal cases is indispensable for understanding the risk factors for severe forms of dengue. When sending samples from a suspected fatality for processing, you should inform the laboratory carrying out the tests that the case was fatal. The samples you should collect include:

• A blood sample to attempt virus isolation and serology. If an autopsy is performed, blood from the heart should be collected.
• In addition to blood, the following tissue samples should be obtained: heart, liver, kidney, lung, intestines, spleen, lymph nodes, brain, and skin from areas where the rash occurred. If fresh tissues are available, they will be tested for virus isolation. If an autopsy has been performed and no fresh tissues are available, tissues fixed in formalin should be submitted for immunohistochemical studies.