[Isolation, identification and sequence analyses of dengue virus type 2 strain GD19/2001]

To identify the virus isolated from Jiangmen, Guangdong province and to discuss the possible origin.

Using characteristics of indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), mouse neurovirulence and cell culture to identify the isolated virus. According to the nature of dengue virus type 2 NGC strain, two pairs of primers were designed. The structural protein gene of isolated dengue virus type 2 strain was then amplified by RT-PCR, cloned into pMD18-T vector and sequenced.

Twenty-two of 37 serum samples showed a positive reaction to dengue antibody IgG, and 36 of 37 with IgM with the highest antibody titer 1:640. Ten samples were resulted in a cytopathy on C6/36 cells and showed a neurovirulence in suckling mice when inoculated intracerebrally. The structural gene of new isolate GD19/2001 containing 2 325 nucleotides which encoded 774 amino acids. Data on nucleotide homology were 98%, 96%, 94%, 94%, 92%, 92%, 92% and 91% compared with TSV01, GD06/93, NGC and 44, ThNH81/93, 04 and GD08/98, and S1 respectively.

The isolated virus from Jiangmen, Guangdong province belonged to dengue virus type 2, which might come from Australia.