Persistent detection of dengue virus RNA in vaginal secretion of a woman returning from Sri Lanka to Italy, April

Marco Iannetta1, Eleonora Lalle1, Maria Musso1

  • 1National Institute for Infectious Diseases 'Lazzaro Spallanzani', IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

We describe the dynamics of dengue virus (DENV) infection in a woman in her mid-30s who developed fever after returning from Sri Lanka to Italy in April 2017. Laboratory testing demonstrated detectable DENV-RNA in plasma, urine, saliva, vaginal secretion. Persistent shedding of DENV-RNA was demonstrated in vaginal secretion, and DENV-RNA was detectable in the pelleted fraction up to 18 days from symptom onset. These findings give new insights into DENV vaginal shedding and vertical transmission.

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