Epidemiological and Molecular Characterization of Dengue Virus Circulating in Bhutan, 2013-2014

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015 Aug 21;9(8):e0004010. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004010. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Dengue is one of the most significant public health problems in tropical and subtropical countries, and is increasingly being detected in traditionally non-endemic areas. In Bhutan, dengue virus (DENV) has only recently been detected and limited information is available. In this study, we analyzed the epidemiological and molecular characteristics of DENV in two southern districts in Bhutan from 2013-2014. During this period, 379 patients were clinically diagnosed with suspected dengue, of whom 119 (31.4%) were positive for DENV infection by NS1 ELISA and/or nested RT-PCR. DENV serotypes 1, 2 and 3 were detected with DENV-1 being predominant. Phylogenetic analysis of DENV-1 using envelope gene demonstrated genotype V, closely related to strains from northern India.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bhutan / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dengue / epidemiology
  • Dengue / virology*
  • Dengue Virus / classification
  • Dengue Virus / genetics*
  • Dengue Virus / isolation & purification*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the US Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center- Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (AFHSC-GEIS) Grant P0240_14_AF: to SF. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.