Phylogenetic and Molecular Clock Analysis of Dengue Serotype 1 and 3 from New Delhi, India

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 4;10(11):e0141628. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141628. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Dengue fever is the most prevalent arboviral disease in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The present report describes molecular detection and serotyping of dengue viruses in acute phase blood samples collected from New Delhi, India. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analysis of dengue virus serotype 1 and 3 strains were also investigated. Dengue virus infection was detected in 68.87% out of 604 samples tested by RT-PCR between 2011 & 2014. Dengue serotype 1 was detected in 25.48% samples, dengue serotype 2 in 79.56% samples and dengue serotype 3 in 11.29% samples. Dengue serotype 4 was not detected. Co-infection by more than one dengue serotype was detected in 18.26% samples. Envelope gene of 29 DENV-1 and 14 DENV-3 strains were sequenced in the study. All the DENV-1 strains grouped with the American African genotype. All DENV-3 strains were found to belong to Genotype III. Nucleotide substitution rates of dengue 1 and 3 viruses were determined in the study. Time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of dengue 1 viruses was determined to be 132 years. TMRCA of DENV-3 viruses was estimated to be 149 years. Bayesian skyline plots were constructed for Indian DENV-1 and 3 strains which showed a decrease in population size since 2005 in case of DENV- 1 strains while no change was observed in recent years in case of DENV-3 strains. The study also revealed a change in the dominating serotype in Delhi, India in recent years. The study will be helpful in formulating control strategies for the outbreaks. In addition, it will also assist in tracking the movement and evolution of this emerging virus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Dengue / epidemiology*
  • Dengue / transmission
  • Dengue / virology
  • Dengue Virus / classification*
  • Dengue Virus / genetics*
  • Dengue Virus / isolation & purification
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Phylogeny*
  • Prospective Studies
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • Serogroup
  • Serotyping
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • RNA, Viral

Grants and funding

Shama Parveen received funding from University Grants Commission, Government of India. The URL of the funder’s website is http://www.ugc.ac.in. The grant number is 41-1287/2012 (SR). Nazia Afreen was supported by Senior Research Fellowship of University Grants Commission, Government of India. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.