“Dengue Virus in India Evolves Dramatically, Impacts Vaccine Development”

A recent study conducted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has revealed that the virus causing dengue fever has evolved at a rapid pace within the last few decades in the Indian subcontinent. Despite the fact that cases of dengue have continued to increase over the past 50 years in South-East Asian countries, including India, the country has yet to approve any vaccines for the illness, with others having already developed effective vaccines. A team lead by Rahul Roy, Associate Professor at IISc’s Department of Chemical Engineering, examined the genetic sequences of Indian dengue strains from infected patients collected between 1956 and 2018. The strains analyzed were split into four categories or serotypes of the virus – Dengue 1, 2, 3 and 4. Results indicated that between 1956 and 2012, the dominant strains of the illness in India were Dengue 1 and 3. However, Dengue 2 has become increasingly more prevalent across the country in recent years, whilst Dengue 4 is also now observed in certain areas of South India. The team also hinted at the possibility of the Antibody Dependent Enhancement (ADE) process creating more severe outbreaks of the illness by allowing more virulent, less protective strains to gain a foothold.