Research

Simultaneous circulation of genotypes I and III of dengue virus 3 in Colombia

Jose A Usme-Ciro¹ , Jairo A Mendez³ , Antonio Tenorio⁴ , Gloria J Rey³ , Cristina Domingo^4* and Juan C Gallego-Gomez^1,2*

¹  Viral Biology – PECET, Sede de Investigación Universitaria, Universidad de Antioquia, A.A. 1226, Medellín, Colombia

²  Grupo de Inmunovirología, Sede de Investigación Universitaria, Universidad de Antioquia, A.A.1226, Medellín, Colombia

³  Laboratorio de Virología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Avenida calle 26 No. 51-20, Bogotá D.C., Colombia

⁴  Laboratorio de Arbovirus y Enfermedades Víricas Importadas, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Carretera Majadahonda-Pozuelo Km 2, Majadahonda (28220), Madrid, Spain

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

Virology Journal 2008, 5:101doi:10.1186/1743-422X-5-101

Published:	2 September 2008

Abstract

Background

Dengue is a major health problem in tropical and subtropical regions. In Colombia, dengue viruses (DENV) cause about 50,000 cases annually, 10% of which involve Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever/Dengue Shock Syndrome. The picture is similar in other surrounding countries in the Americas, with recent outbreaks of severe disease, mostly associated with DENV serotype 3, strains of the Indian genotype, introduced into the Americas in 1994.

Results

The analysis of the 3'end (224 bp) of the envelope gene from 32 DENV-3 strains recently recovered in Colombia confirms the circulation of the Indian genotype, and surprisingly the co-circulation of an Asian-Pacific genotype only recently described in the Americas.

Conclusion

These results have important implications for epidemiology and surveillance of DENV infection in Central and South America. Molecular surveillance of the DENV genotypes infecting humans could be a very valuable tool for controlling/mitigating the impact of the DENV infection.