Nationwide Distribution of Dengue Virus Type 3 (DENV-3) Genotype I and Emergence of DENV-3 Genotype III during the 2019 Outbreak in Bangladesh

• Main Authors: Snigdha Rahman Titir, Shyamal Kumar Paul, Salma Ahmed, Nazia Haque, Syeda Anjuman Nasreen, Khondoker Shoaib Hossain, Fahim Uddin Ahmad, Sultana Shabnam Nila, Jobyda Khanam, Neaz Nowsher, Abu Mohammod Mayeenuddin Al Amin, Amdad Ullah Khan, Meiji Soe Aung, Nobumichi Kobayashi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
• Subjects: dengue virus; type 3; genotype; IgM; Bangladesh
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/6/2/58

Bangladesh is an endemic region of dengue fever and experienced an unprecedented large outbreak with more than 100,000 confirmed cases in 2019. To understand the prevalence of dengue antibody in patients and molecular epidemiological characteristics of dengue virus (DENV) in this outbreak, a total of 179 blood samples were collected from patients in 10 districts (seven divisions) covering nearly the whole country from August to December 2019. DENV NS-1 was detected in 162 samples, among which DENV-specific IgM was positive in 119 samples (73.5%), including 60.5% samples also positive for DENV-specific IgG. Sequencing of the partial <i>C-prM</i> gene and its phylogenetic analysis revealed predominance of DENV type 3 genotype I, accounting for 93% of samples examined. DENV-3 genotype III was identified in two samples from separate districts, and only one DENV-2 cosmopolitan genotype was found in the capital city, Dhaka. These findings suggest the predominance of DENV-3 genotype I and occurrence of DENV-3 genotype III, associated with increased incidence of recent secondary infection in Bangladesh in 2019.