Dengue virus serotypic identification using suckling mouse and western blot technique

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The suckling mouse model is a classical method for dengue virus detection and propagation.
• Traditional detection relies on observing neurological symptoms in mice, which may not always occur.
• Alternative methods like western blot and immunoenzymatic assays are used for dengue virus identification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the suckling mouse model in detecting dengue virus strains.
• To compare the suckling mouse method with existing diagnostic techniques.
• To investigate dengue virus replication sites within the infected mouse.

Main Methods:

• Intracerebral inoculation of patients' sera into suckling mice.
• Incubation period of 7 days.
• Detection of dengue viral proteins using western blot and immunoenzymatic methods, independent of neurological symptoms.
• Blind study involving 12 patient specimens.

Main Results:

• Suckling mice detected dengue virus with similar frequency to mosquito systems but in a shorter incubation period.
• The entire diagnostic process, including strain identification, was completed in 9 days.
• Dengue viral antigens were detected in the liver, with protein quantity and quality comparable to the brain.

Conclusions:

• The suckling mouse model is a viable and efficient method for detecting dengue virus strains, even in the absence of overt neurological signs.
• The study demonstrates the potential for dengue virus replication in both the brain and the liver of infected suckling mice.
• This model offers a faster alternative for dengue virus diagnosis compared to traditional methods.