Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 7, 2025
Author Spotlight: Development of a Smartphone-Enhanced Paper-Based Device for Rapid Dengue NS1 Detection
Published on: January 26, 2024
Molecular study of 2019 dengue fever outbreaks in Nepal
Pranita Poudyal1, Kesari Sharma2, Shyam Prakash Dumre3
1Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Lalitpur, Nepal.
Background:
Dengue cases have been continuously reported in Nepal, including some large outbreaks, since its first introduction in 2004. The disease is now expanding towards newer locations above 1400 m high, especially the country's capital city, Kathmandu. In 2019, >14,000 dengue cases including six deaths were reported. This study was aimed at the detection and molecular characterization of dengue virus (DENV) in dengue patients.
Methods:
A total of 451 patients were enrolled in this study. Demographic, clinical and laboratory information was collected from dengue patients. Dengue infection was confirmed by antibody/antigen detection assays followed by RT-PCR analysis.
Results:
The DENV patients showed fever, body ache, headache, myalgia, retro-orbital pain and arthralgia. The platelets were decreased, serum liver enzymes were increased and leucopenia was seen. Out of 195 patients, 111 (57.0%) were positive for DENV RNA by consensus PCR. We found DENV-2, 70 (63.1%) as the predominant serotype responsible for the 2019 outbreak, while DENV-3 was detected in two patients.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that DENV-2 was the major serotype causing the 2019 massive outbreak in Nepal. This information will help in disease control programs to understand the molecular epidemiology and its changing trend.
