Dengue virus type 4 phylogenetics in Brazil 2011: looking beyond the veil

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Renato Pereira de Souza1, Iray M Rocco, Adriana Y Maeda

  • 1Centro de Virologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, Brazil. renatoefabi@gmail.com

Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases
|January 5, 2012
PubMed

Insights

This study analyzed Dengue virus type 4 (DENV-4) strains from Brazil, revealing they belong to Genotype II. The findings suggest DENV-4 may have circulated undetected for years, potentially due to low prevalence and co-circulation with other dengue types.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Dengue Fever and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever affect millions annually, posing significant public health challenges, especially in developing nations.
  • Dengue virus type 4 (DENV-4) is a significant etiological agent of dengue disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the first autochthonous DENV-4 strains identified in Brazil in 2011.
  • To determine the evolutionary rates and divergence dates of these Brazilian DENV-4 strains.

Main Methods:

  • Nucleotide sequencing of the envelope gene from six Brazilian DENV-4 strains.
  • Comparison of obtained sequences with representative DENV-4 genotypes (I, II, III, Sylvatic) from GenBank.
  • Application of a Bayesian phylogenetic approach for relationship reconstruction and evolutionary analysis.

Main Results:

  • All sequenced Brazilian DENV-4 strains were classified under Genotype II.
  • The Brazilian DENV-4 strains formed a monophyletic group, indicating a common origin.
  • Phylogenetic analysis suggested separate evolution of these strains for at least 4 to 6 years prior to 2011.

Conclusions:

  • The findings indicate a potential historical presence of DENV-4 in Brazil, possibly evading surveillance.
  • Low circulation levels and the dominance of DENV-1 and DENV-2 may have contributed to the delayed detection of DENV-4.
  • This research highlights the importance of continuous genomic surveillance for emerging arboviruses.

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