India's dengue virus has developed, and researchers emphasize the urgent need for a vaccine.
The four dengue virus serotypes were examined by the team to determine how much each differed from its ancestral sequence.
Ankush Pandey
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru have discovered that the Dengue virus in India has undergone significant evolution. A computational analysis of the virus over six decades revealed new information.
According to the findings of the multi-institutional study, the number of cases of a virus spread by mosquitoes has steadily increased over the past fifty years, primarily in South-East Asian countries. The four dengue virus serotypes were examined by the team to determine how much each differed from its ancestral sequence.
The discoveries distributed in the diary PLoS Microbes express that dengue spreads and adjusts to the choice tensions forced by a huge number of variables that can prompt the development of new variations.
What is Dengue?
There are four serotypes of the dengue virus, which are members of the family Flaviviridae: DEN one, two, three, and four. The virus is spread to humans by the Aedes mosquito, which infects itself by biting infected individuals.
The virus replicates in white blood cells called monocytes and macrophages, which are a part of the body's immune system, once it enters the human body. The virus then spreads to the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, where it causes a variety of symptoms.
How has Dengue evolved in India?
Between 1956 and 2018, 408 genetic sequences of Indian dengue strains from infected patients were examined by IISC researchers. We observed that the successions are changing in an exceptionally perplexing style," Roy added.
It was noted that Dengue 1 and 3 were the most common strains in India up until 2012. Dengue 2, on the other hand, has become more common throughout the country in recent years, while Dengue 4, which was once thought to be the least contagious, is now establishing itself in South India.
According to Suraj Jagtap, the study's first author, individuals may be infected initially with one serotype and then contract a secondary infection with a different serotype, resulting in more severe symptoms. That's what researchers trust if the second serotype is like the first, the antibodies in the host's blood produced after the principal disease tie to the new serotype and tie to safe cells called macrophages.
After a primary infection, the body produces antibodies that protect the body against all serotypes for about two to three years. Cross-serotype protection is lost as antibody levels begin to decline over time. The significance of developing a vaccine for the disease is further demonstrated by the new findings.
In a statement, Associate Professor Rahul Roy of the Department of Chemical Engineering (CE) at IISc stated, "We were trying to understand how different the Indian variants are, and we found that they are very different from the original strains used to develop the vaccines."
It is important to note that there is no vaccine for dengue, despite the fact that the disease is still a major health concern in India. A vaccine candidate created by Serum Institute and Panacea Biotec is currently undergoing phase 3 trials at the Indian Council of Medical Research.
