Tackling dengue fever: Current status and challenges

Malaria, Dengue Fever, and Leptospirosis in the Urabá Antioqueño Region, Colombia: Etiological and Molecular Characterization among Patients with Acute Undifferentiated Febrile Illness

Acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) is the main cause of medical attention in the tropics worldwide. Malaria, arboviral diseases, and leptospirosis are the most important etiologies. These are highly endemic in the Urabá antioqueño, Colombia, being the main causes of fever in several municipalities in this region. However, up-to-date data regarding the infecting species and serotypes are lacking. Thus, we characterized the etiology of AUFI, focusing on malaria, arboviruses, and leptospirosis in this region and the circulating infecting species. An active surveillance was conducted between January and April 2022, and July and October 2023 in two local hospitals in the Urabá antioqueño. Febrile patients were enrolled voluntarily. Malaria, arboviral diseases, and leptospirosis were screened through direct, serological, molecular, and rapid diagnostic methods. Amplicons obtained for dengue virus (DENV) and Leptospira spp. were analyzed through phylogenetic analysis. A total of 184 febrile patients were enrolled. A confirmed etiology was detected in 43.4% of patients from Apartadó and 61.2% from Turbo. Malaria was the most frequent cause in both municipalities, which was caused mainly by Plasmodium falciparum in Apartadó and Plasmodium vivax in Turbo. Dengue virus serotype 1 genotype V, DENV genotype Asian-American, and DENV genotype Cosmopolitan were identified, as well as pathogenic Leptospira species closely related to Leptospira santarosai and Leptospira noguchii. The present study confirms the importance of malaria, dengue fever, and leptospirosis in the Urabá antioqueño. Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax were identified, as well as two DENV serotypes and three DENV genotypes and two different Leptospira species.

Identification of Dengue virus serotype and genotype: A comprehensive study from AIIMS Patna, Bihar

PURPOSE

Dengue virus, a major global health concern, exhibits significant genetic diversity, leading to distinct serotypes and genotypes. Dengue is the second most common disease spread by mosquitoes that infect humans, after malaria. In recent decades, there has also been a shift in the tendencies of virus transmission from urban to peri-urban and rural settings. This research study focuses on the identification and characterization of dengue virus serotypes and genotypes.

METHODS

In this study, specimens collected in one year were first subjected to serological assay (NS1 and IgM) and subsequently the NS1 positive samples were subjected to identification and characterization of the prevalent dengue virus serotypes and genotypes.

RESULTS

During the year 2021, a total of 933serum samples were tested, out of which 75 were found positive for NS1 antigen and 135 were positive for Dengue IgM antibody by ELISA. The dengue serotype specific Real-Time RT-PCR Assay detected all four serotypes in the NS1-positive samples, indicating their presence in this region. Of these, DEN-1 was detected in 4 (7.8 %), DEN-2 in 26 (50.9 %), DEN-3 in 20 (39 %), DEN-4 in 1 (1.9 %). Out of 51Real-Time RT-PCR positive samples, 33 were found positive by conventional PCR for genotyping by targeting the capsid-preMembrane (C-prM)region. The genotyping result showed that DENV-1 serotype clustering with GIII, DEN-2 serotype clustering withwide range of genotypes such as IVa, IVb, and IVc, DEN-3 clustering with GIII genotype and DEN-4 serotype showed GIII genotype.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides the recent details about the circulating serotypes along with prevalent genotypes in this region.

Sample-to-result molecular diagnostic platforms and their suitability for infectious disease testing in low- and middle-income countries

INTRODUCTION

Diagnostics are an essential, undervalued part of the health-care system. For many diseases, molecular diagnostics are the gold standard, but are not easy to implement in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). Sample-to-result (S2R) platforms combining all procedures in a closed system could offer a solution. In this paper, we investigated their suitability for implementation in LMIC.

AREAS COVERED

A scorecard was used to evaluate different platforms on a range of parameters. Most platforms scored fairly on the platform itself, ease-of-use and test consumables; however, shortcomings were identified in cost, distribution and test panels tailored to LMIC needs. The diagnostic coverage for common infectious diseases was found to have a wider coverage in high-income countries (HIC) than LMIC. A literature study showed that in LMIC, these platforms are mainly used as diagnostic tools or evaluation of diagnostic performance, with a minority assessing the operational characteristics or the clinical utility. In this narrative review, we identified various points for adaptation of S2R platforms to LMIC conditions.

EXPERT OPINION

For S2R platforms to be suitable for implementation in LMIC some modifications by the manufacturers could be considered. Furthermore, strengthening health systems and digitalization are vital; as are smaller, cheaper, faster, and sustainable technologies.

Development of terpenoid repellents against Aedes albopictus: a combined study of biological activity evaluation and computational modelling

To explore novel terpenoid repellents, 22 candidate terpenoid derivatives were synthesized and tested for their electroantennogram (EAG) responses and repellent activities against Aedes albopictus. The results from the EAG experiments revealed that 5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl formate (compound 1) induced distinct EAG responses in female Aedes albopictus. At concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 mg/L, the EAG response values for compound 1 were 179.59, 183.99, 190.38, 193.80, and 196.66 mV, demonstrating comparable or superior effectiveness to DEET. Repellent activity analysis indicated significant repellent activity for compound 1, closest to the positive control DEET. The in silico assessment of the ADMET profile of compound 1 indicates that it successfully passed the ADMET evaluation. Molecular docking studies exhibited favourable binding of compound 1 to the active site of the odorant binding protein (OBP) of Aedes albopictus, involving hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bond interactions with residues in the OBP pocket. The QSAR model highlighted the influential role of hydrogen-bonding receptors, positively charged surface area of weighted atoms, polarity parameters of molecules, and maximum nuclear-nuclear repulsion force of carbon-carbon bonds on the relative EAG response values of the tested compounds. This study holds substantial significance for the advancement of new terpenoid repellents.

Host immune response against DENV and ZIKV infections

Dengue is a major public health concern, affecting almost 400 million people worldwide, with about 70% of the global burden of disease in Asia. Despite revised clinical classifications of dengue infections by the World Health Organization, the wide spectrum of the manifestations of dengue illness continues to pose challenges in diagnosis and patient management for clinicians. When the Zika epidemic spread through the American continent and then later to Africa and Asia in 2015, researchers compared the characteristics of the Zika infection to Dengue, considering both these viruses were transmitted primarily through the same vector, the Aedes aegypti female mosquitoes. An important difference to note, however, was that the Zika epidemic diffused in a shorter time span compared to the persisting feature of Dengue infections, which is endemic in many Asian countries. As the pathogenesis of viral illnesses is affected by host immune responses, various immune modulators have been proposed as biomarkers to predict the risk of the disease progression to a severe form, at a much earlier stage of the illness. However, the findings for most biomarkers are highly discrepant between studies. Meanwhile, the cross-reactivity of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells response to Dengue and Zika viruses provide important clues for further development of potential treatments. This review discusses similarities between Dengue and Zika infections, comparing their disease transmissions and vectors involved, and both the innate and adaptive immune responses in these infections. Consideration of the genetic identity of both the Dengue and Zika flaviviruses as well as the cross-reactivity of relevant T cells along with the actions of CD4+ cytotoxic cells in these infections are also presented. Finally, a summary of the immune biomarkers that have been reported for dengue and Zika viral infections are discussed which may be useful indicators for future anti-viral targets or predictors for disease severity. Together, this information appraises the current understanding of both Zika and Dengue infections, providing insights for future vaccine design approaches against both viruses.

Endothelial Dysfunction, HMGB1, and Dengue: An Enigma to Solve

Dengue is a viral infection caused by dengue virus (DENV), which has a significant impact on public health worldwide. Although most infections are asymptomatic, a series of severe clinical manifestations such as hemorrhage and plasma leakage can occur during the severe presentation of the disease. This suggests that the virus or host immune response may affect the protective function of endothelial barriers, ultimately being considered the most relevant event in severe and fatal dengue pathogenesis. The mechanisms that induce these alterations are diverse. It has been suggested that the high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) may be involved in endothelial dysfunction. This non-histone nuclear protein has different immunomodulatory activities and belongs to the alarmin group. High concentrations of HMGB1 have been detected in patients with several infectious diseases, including dengue, and it could be considered as a biomarker for the early diagnosis of dengue and a predictor of complications of the disease. This review summarizes the main features of dengue infection and describes the known causes associated with endothelial dysfunction, highlighting the involvement and possible relationship between HMGB1 and DENV.

Sulfated β-glucan from Agaricus subrufescens inhibits flavivirus infection and nonstructural protein 1-mediated pathogenesis

Despite substantial morbidity and mortality, no therapeutic agents exist for treatment of dengue or Zika, and the currently available dengue vaccine is only recommended for dengue virus (DENV)-immune individuals. Thus, development of therapeutic and/or preventive drugs is urgently needed. DENV and Zika virus (ZIKV) nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) can directly trigger endothelial barrier dysfunction and induce inflammatory responses, contributing to vascular leak in vivo. Here we evaluated the efficacy of the (1-6,1-3)-β-D-glucan isolated from Agaricus subrufescens fruiting bodies (FR) and its sulfated derivative (FR-S) against DENV-2 and ZIKV infection and NS1-mediated pathogenesis. FR-S, but not FR, significantly inhibited DENV-2 and ZIKV replication in human monocytic cells (EC50 = 36.5 and 188.7 μg/mL, respectively) when added simultaneously with viral infection. No inhibitory effect was observed when FR or FR-S were added post-infection, suggesting inhibition of viral entry as a mechanism of action. In an in vitro model of endothelial permeability using human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs), FR and FR-S (0.12 μg/mL) inhibited DENV-2 NS1- and ZIKV NS1-induced hyperpermeability by 50% and 100%, respectively, as measured by Trans-Endothelial Electrical Resistance. Treatment with 0.25 μg/mL of FR and FR-S inhibited DENV-2 NS1 binding to HPMECs. Further, FR-S significantly reduced intradermal hyperpermeability induced by DENV-2 NS1 in C57BL/6 mice and protected against DENV-induced morbidity and mortality in a murine model of dengue vascular leak syndrome. Thus, we demonstrate efficacy of FR-S against DENV and ZIKV infection and NS1-induced endothelial permeability in vitro and in vivo. These findings encourage further exploration of FR-S and other glycan candidates for flavivirus treatment alone or in combination with compounds with different mechanisms of action.

Effects of Acute Dengue Infection on Sperm and Virus Clearance in Body Fluids of Men

We investigated the effects of dengue virus (DENV) on semen using samples collected 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days after symptom onset from 10 infected volunteers on Réunion Island. We assessed characteristics of semen and reproductive hormones and isolated motile spermatozoa from semen. We assayed semen for DENV using reverse transcription PCR and searched for DENV RNA by virus isolation in Vero E6 cell cultures. Four volunteers had >1 DENV RNA-positive semen samples; 2 volunteers had DENV RNA–positive semen at day 15 and 1 at day 30. No motile sperm were DENV positive. After exposure to positive semen, few Vero E6 cells stained positive for DENV antigens, indicating low levels of replicative virus. We found DENV had shorter duration in semen than in blood. These findings support the possibilities that DENV is sexually transmissible for a short period after acute dengue illness and that acute dengue induces reversible alterations in sperm.

Circulation of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 in Humans and Mosquitoes During an Outbreak in El Quseir City, Egypt

INTRODUCTION

In recent decades, the rate of infection with dengue virus (DENV) has risen significantly, now affecting nearly 400 million individuals annually. Dengue fever among humans is caused via specific mosquito vectors bites. Sporadic cases have been reported in Egypt. The goal of this study was to identify the serotype of the DENV outbreak in both human and mosquito vector along the coast of the Red Sea, Upper Egypt, in 2017. Identification of the serotype of the virus may help identify its source and assist in applying epidemiological and control measures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The current study was carried out in El Quseir City, Red Sea Governorate, Upper Egypt, on 144 patients complaining of symptoms indicative of dengue fever at the time of the 2017 Egypt outbreak. Human blood samples and the mosquito reservoirs were identified as having dengue virus infection serologically and molecularly.

RESULTS

Overall, 97 (67.4%) patients were positive for dengue virus IgM antibodies. Molecular examination of the human samples and pools of mosquitoes revealed that DENV-2 virus was the serotype responsible for the outbreak. Only one pool of female mosquitoes containing Aedes aegypti was infected with dengue fever virus (DENV-2).

CONCLUSION

This was the first serotyping of the DENV responsible for dengue virus outbreak in Egypt in 2017. Determining the serotype of dengue virus can help to avoid and monitor outbreaks. The serotype identified in this study was DENV-2, while DENV-1 was the serotype found in the previous outbreak in 2015 in the province of Assiut. This study thus raises concerns that a new dengue serotype could have been introduced into Egypt. It is necessary for a comprehensive risk assessment to be carried out in the country, including an entomological survey, to assess the presence and potential geographical expansion of mosquito vectors there.

Genetic diversity of Dengue virus serotypes circulating among Aedes mosquitoes in selected regions of northeastern Nigeria

The flaviviruses are mosquito borne pathogens that continue to pose a considerable public health risk to animals and humans. The members of this group includes, Dengue virus (DENV), Yellow fever virus (YVF), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus (WEV) and Zika virus (ZKV). The DENV mosquito vector is endemic to tropical and subtropical climates, placing ∼40% of the world's population at direct risk of dengue infection. Currently, in Nigeria the status of DENV serotypes circulating among mosquito vectors is unknown. Our study was designed to identify and characterize the DENV serotypes circulating in Aedes mosquito populations collected in selected sites in Nigeria. The mosquitoes were collected and identified morphologically to species level using colored identification keys of Rueda. Generally, each species identified was tested in pools of 20 individuals of each Aedes species. RT-PCR and semi nested PCR were used to detect DENV serotypes in mosquitoes and characterized using Sanger sequencing methods. The results showed that DENV serotypes were detected in 58.54% (24/41) of the pools of Aedes mosquitoes from Mubi, Numan and Yola screened. All DENV1-4 serotypes were detected in Ae. aegypti. While DENV 1, 2 and 4 were detected in Ae. albopictus. And only DENV 2 was detected in Ae. galloisi with DENV4 serotype being reported for the first time in Nigeria. DENV2 (37.8%) was the most detected serotypes, while double and triple co-infections of serotypes were detected in 24.4% of the pools. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a strong evolutionary relatedness of DENV serotypes in our study with that of South and Southeast Asia, North America, and other African countries. This is the first reports on the natural DENV serotypes co-infection among Aedes species pools in Nigeria, which can create possible interaction with other flaviviruses causing animal and human diseases. In addition, our study postulates the possible linkage between DENV serotypes infection and human febrile flu-like disease burden being experienced by host communities in northeastern Nigeria.

A survey of mosquito-borne and insect-specific viruses in hospitals and livestock markets in western Kenya

Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes are prolific vectors of arboviruses that are a global threat to human and animal health. Increased globalization and ease of travel have facilitated the worldwide dissemination of these mosquitoes and the viruses they transmit. To assess disease risk, we determined the frequency of arboviruses in western Kenyan counties bordering an area of high arboviral activity. In addition to pathogenic viruses, insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs), some of which are thought to impair the transmission of specific pathogenic arboviruses, were also evaluated. We trapped mosquitoes in the short and long rainy seasons in 2018 and 2019 at livestock markets and hospitals. Mosquitoes were screened for dengue, chikungunya and other human pathogenic arboviruses, ISFs, and their blood-meal sources as determined by high-resolution melting analysis of (RT-)PCR products. Of 6,848 mosquitoes collected, 89% were trapped during the long rainy season, with A. aegypti (59%) and Cx. pipiens sensu lato (40%) being the most abundant. Most blood-fed mosquitoes were Cx. pipiens s.l. with blood-meals from humans, chicken, and sparrow (Passer sp.). We did not detect dengue or chikungunya viruses. However, one Culex poicilipes female was positive for Sindbis virus, 30 pools of Ae. aegypti had cell fusing agent virus (CFAV; infection rate (IR) = 1.27%, 95% CI = 0.87%-1.78%); 11 pools of Ae. aegypti had Aedes flavivirus (AeFV; IR = 0.43%, 95% CI = 0.23%-0.74%); and seven pools of Cx. pipiens s.l. (IR = 0.23%, 95% CI = 0.1%-0.45%) and one pool of Culex annulioris had Culex flavivirus. Sindbis virus, which causes febrile illness in humans, can complicate the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with fever. The presence of Sindbis virus in a single mosquito from a population of mosquitoes with ISFs calls for further investigation into the role ISFs may play in blocking transmission of other arboviruses in this region.

Hemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia: challenge to public health, effective management and future considerations

Background

Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) refers to a group of febrile illnesses caused by different viruses that result in high mortality in animals and humans. Many risk factors like increased human-animal interactions, climate change, increased mobility of people and limited diagnostic facility have contributed to the rapid spread of VHF.

Materials

The history of VHFs in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula has been documented since the 19^th century, in which many outbreaks have been reported from the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Despite presence of regional network of experts and technical organizations, which expedite support and respond during outbreaks, there are some more challenges that need to be addressed immediately. Gaps in funding, exhaustive and inclusive response plans and improved surveillance systems are some areas of concern in the region which can be dealt productively. This review primarily focusses on the hemorrhagic fevers that are caused by three most common viruses namely, the Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus, Rift valley fever virus, and Dengue fever virus.

Conclusion

In summary, effective vector control, health education, possible use of vaccine and concerted synchronized efforts between different government organizations and private research institutions will help in planning effective outbreak-prevention and response strategies in future.

Analysis of protein targets in pathogen-host interaction in infectious diseases: a case study on Plasmodium falciparum and Homo sapiens interaction network

Infection and disease progression is the outcome of protein interactions between pathogen and host. Pathogen, the role player of Infection, is becoming a severe threat to life as because of its adaptability toward drugs and evolutionary dynamism in nature. Identifying protein targets by analyzing protein interactions between host and pathogen is the key point. Proteins with higher degree and possessing some topologically significant graph theoretical measures are found to be drug targets. On the other hand, exceptional nodes may be involved in infection mechanism because of some pathway process and biologically unknown factors. In this article, we attempt to investigate characteristics of host-pathogen protein interactions by presenting a comprehensive review of computational approaches applied on different infectious diseases. As an illustration, we have analyzed a case study on infectious disease malaria, with its causative agent Plasmodium falciparum acting as 'Bait' and host, Homo sapiens/human acting as 'Prey'. In this pathogen-host interaction network based on some interconnectivity and centrality properties, proteins are viewed as central, peripheral, hub and non-hub nodes and their significance on infection process. Besides, it is observed that because of sparseness of the pathogen and host interaction network, there may be some topologically unimportant but biologically significant proteins, which can also act as Bait/Prey. So, functional similarity or gene ontology mapping can help us in this case to identify these proteins.

Dengue fever in Saudi Arabia: A review of environmental and population factors impacting emergence and spread

Dengue fever (DF) is the most important mosquito-transmitted viral disease causing a large economic and disease burden in many parts of the world. Most DF research focuses on Latin America and Asia, where burdens are highest. There is a critical need for studies in other regions where DF is an important public health problem but less well-characterized and can differ, such as the Middle East. The first documented case of DF in Saudi Arabia occurred in 1993. After a decade of sporadic outbreaks, the disease was declared endemic in 2004 and this designation persists. Climate, sociodemographic factors, and increasing urbanization impact the spread of DF in Saudi Arabia, as in other areas. However, DF transmission in Saudi Arabia is also affected by several unique factors, including large numbers of migrant workers and religious pilgrims from other dengue endemic areas across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. Important knowledge gaps relate to the role of climatic factors as drivers of DF in Saudi Arabia and the role of foreign workers and pilgrims in the original and continuous importation of dengue virus. Filling these gaps would improve health system preparedness.

Adult Immunization - Need of the Hour

Immunization is the process of making individuals immune. Childhood immunization is a common process for various aliments, but adult immunization in the Indian scenario is obscure. Officially, India has been declared polio-free, which is an achievement despite cultural, political, economic, geographic, and so many other factors. The changing demographics of adult, geriatric population and growing cost of health-care maintenance are a concern in developing countries like India. Thus, promoting healthy lifestyle needs prevention, early detection, and management of various diseases and disorders. Certainly, prevention in adults is yet to be tapped completely, so that goal of 100% prevention can be achieved. Various fraternities of medical association have come up with guidelines for adult immunization schedules in India. The present paper reviews infectious diseases such as anthrax, chikungunya, cholera, dengue, influenza, and malaria in this section of the review. We humbly request all health-care professionals and educators to educate the mass for adult immunization. So that, cost involved for treatment and workforce for the management of diseases can be better utilized in some other needed areas.

In vitro methods for testing antiviral drugs

Despite successful vaccination programs and effective treatments for some viral infections, humans are still losing the battle with viruses. Persisting human pandemics, emerging and re-emerging viruses, and evolution of drug-resistant strains impose continuous search for new antiviral drugs. A combination of detailed information about the molecular organization of viruses and progress in molecular biology and computer technologies has enabled rational antivirals design. Initial step in establishing efficacy of new antivirals is based on simple methods assessing inhibition of the intended target. We provide here an overview of biochemical and cell-based assays evaluating the activity of inhibitors of clinically important viruses.

Selective Tropism of Dengue Virus for Human Glycoprotein Ib

Since the hemorrhage in severe dengue seems to be primarily related to the defect of the platelet, the possibility that dengue virus (DENV) is selectively tropic for one of its surface receptors was investigated. Flow cytometric data of DENV-infected megakaryocytic cell line superficially expressing human glycoprotein Ib (CD42b) and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (CD41 and CD41a) were analyzed by our custom-written software in MATLAB. In two-dimensional analyses, intracellular DENV was detected in CD42b+, CD41+ and CD41a+ cells. In three-dimensional analyses, the DENV was exclusively detected in CD42b+ cells but not in CD42b- cells regardless of the other expressions. In single-cell virus-protein analyses, the amount of DENV was directly correlated with those of CD42b at the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.9. Moreover, RT- PCR and apoptosis assays showed that DENV was able to replicate itself and release its new progeny from the infected CD42b+ cells and eventually killed those cells. These results provide evidence for the involvement of CD42b in DENV infection.

Clinical, Serological, and Molecular Observations from a Case Series Study during the Asian Lineage Zika Virus Outbreak in Grenada during 2016

This paper describes the spatial and temporal distribution of cases, demographic characteristics of patients, and clinical manifestations of Zika virus (ZIKV) during the 2016 outbreak in Grenada. The first reported case was recorded in St. Andrew Parish in April, and the last reported case was seen in November, with peak transmission occurring in the last week of June, based on test results. Data were collected from a total of 514 patients, of whom 207 (40%) tested positive for ZIKV. No evidence was found that testing positive for ZIKV infection was related to age, gender, or pregnancy status. Clinical presentation with rash (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.5 to 3.7) or with lymphadenopathy (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.0 to 2.9) were the only reported symptoms consistent with testing positive for ZIKV infection. During the Zika outbreak, the infection rate was 20 clinical cases per 10,000 in the population compared to 41 cases per 10,000 during the chikungunya outbreak in Grenada in 2014 and 17 cases per 10,000 during the dengue outbreak in 2001-2002. Even though the country has employed vector control programs, with no apparent decrease in infection rates, it appears that new abatement approaches are needed to minimize morbidity in future arbovirus outbreaks.

Dendritic Cell-Based ELISpot Assay for Assessing T-Cell IFN-γ Responses in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Dengue Envelope Proteins

Dengue envelope (E) protein is a dominant antigen for vaccine development and E-based vaccines have shown partial or full protection against live-virus challenge in non-human primates. Generally, T cell responses can be investigated with peptides. However, hundreds of over-lapping peptides need to be synthesized to cover the whole sequence of a protein, which brings the cost up to a much higher level than purchasing a protein. We have developed an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay that uses intact E proteins instead of peptides for assessing IFN-gamma (IFN-γ) responses. The assay relies on professional antigen presenting cells, dendritic cells, to process and present the E proteins to stimulate T cells.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from dengue-exposed and naïve subjects were selected for the assay development. IFN-γ production ranged from 53 to 513 spot forming units (SFUs) and 0-45 SFUs per million PBMCs in dengue-exposed and naive subject groups, respectively. The assay allowed quantification of E-specific IFN-γ secreting memory T cells in subjects 9 years after exposure to a live-attenuated virus vaccine and live-virus challenge. Our results suggest that the dendritic cell-based IFN-γ assay is a useful tool for assessing immunological memory for clinical research.

Pharmacophore anchor models of flaviviral NS3 proteases lead to drug repurposing for DENV infection

Background

Viruses of the flaviviridae family are responsible for some of the major infectious viral diseases around the world and there is an urgent need for drug development for these diseases. Most of the virtual screening methods in flaviviral drug discovery suffer from a low hit rate, strain-specific efficacy differences, and susceptibility to resistance. It is because they often fail to capture the key pharmacological features of the target active site critical for protein function inhibition. So in our current work, for the flaviviral NS3 protease, we summarized the pharmacophore features at the protease active site as anchors (subsite-moiety interactions).

Results

For each of the four flaviviral NS3 proteases (i.e., HCV, DENV, WNV, and JEV), the anchors were obtained and summarized into ‘Pharmacophore anchor (PA) models’. To capture the conserved pharmacophore anchors across these proteases, were merged the four PA models. We identified five consensus core anchors (CEH1, CH3, CH7, CV1, CV3) in all PA models, represented as the “Core pharmacophore anchor (CPA) model” and also identified specific anchors unique to the PA models. Our PA/CPA models complied with 89 known NS3 protease inhibitors. Furthermore, we proposed an integrated anchor-based screening method using the anchors from our models for discovering inhibitors. This method was applied on the DENV NS3 protease to screen FDA drugs discovering boceprevir, telaprevir and asunaprevir as promising anti-DENV candidates. Experimental testing against DV2-NGC virus by in-vitro plaque assays showed that asunaprevir and telaprevir inhibited viral replication with EC₅₀ values of 10.4 μM & 24.5 μM respectively. The structure-anchor-activity relationships (SAAR) showed that our PA/CPA model anchors explained the observed in-vitro activities of the candidates. Also, we observed that the CEH1 anchor engagement was critical for the activities of telaprevir and asunaprevir while the extent of inhibitor anchor occupation guided their efficacies.

Conclusion

These results validate our NS3 protease PA/CPA models, anchors and the integrated anchor-based screening method to be useful in inhibitor discovery and lead optimization, thus accelerating flaviviral drug discovery.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-017-1957-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Circulation of Dengue Virus Serotypes in the City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, as Determined by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction

The present study was aimed to investigate the circulation of four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes in Makkah, Western Saudi Arabia. Blood samples were collected from 25 dengue fever-suspected patients and were subjected to molecular typing for DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4 serotypes of dengue virus, by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), using six sets of primers. Of the 25 samples, only six samples (24%) were found to be positive for dengue virus infection. The prevalence of DENV-1 was higher (50% of DENV-positive samples), as compared to DENV-2 (33.3%) and DENV-3 (16.6%) serotypes. The fourth serotype, DENV-4, was not detected in any of the DENV-positive samples. Although Makkah is considered endemic to dengue fever, we observed low prevalence of dengue virus in the city, which may be attributed to various factors. Nonetheless, the results presented herein confirm the circulation of DENV serotypes in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. To the best of our knowledge, the current study so far is the first report demonstrating the prevalence of the DENV-1 serotype in the city Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Development and utility of an in vitro, fluorescence-based assay for the discovery of novel compounds against dengue 2 viral protease

Background

Dengue disease is one of the most significant vector-borne illnesses in the world. The emergence and re-emergence of dengue infections in many parts of the world affect millions annually and continue to burden public health systems especially in low-income populations. Advances in dengue vaccine development showed promising results; however, protection seems to be suboptimal. There is no licensed chemotherapeutic agent against dengue to date. An ideal scenario of combinatorial vaccination of high-risk individuals and chemotherapy of the diseased during outbreaks may compensate for the meager protection offered by the vaccine. The dengue virus protease is important to viral replication and, as such, has been identified as a potential target for antivirals. It is, therefore, our objective to establish and optimize an appropriate screening method for use during the early stages of drug development for dengue.

Methods

In this study, we developed and optimized a biochemical assay system for use in screening compound libraries against dengue virus protease. We tested the selected protease inhibitors with a cell-based assay to determine inhibition of viral replication.

Results

We have presented direct plots of substrate kinetics data showing an apparent inhibition of the protease at excessive substrate concentrations. The most common sources of interference that may have affected the said observation were elucidated. Finally, a screen was done on an existing compound library using the developed method. The compounds selected in this study showed inhibitory activity against both the recombinant dengue protease and cell-based infectivity assays.

Conclusions

Our study shows the practicality of a customized biochemical assay to find possible inhibitors of dengue viral protease during the initial stages of drug discovery.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s41182-016-0025-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.