Abstract
Dengue is the most common cause of mosquito-borne viral disease in humans, and is endemic in more than 100 tropical and subtropical countries. Periodic outbreaks of dengue have been reported in Papua New Guinea (PNG), but there is only limited knowledge of its endemicity and disease burden. To help elucidate the status of the dengue viruses (DENVs) in PNG, we performed envelope (E) gene sequencing of DENV serotypes 1–4 (DENV 1–4) obtained from infected patients who traveled to Australia or from patients diagnosed during local DENV transmission events between 2001 and 2016. Phylogenetic analysis and comparison with globally available DENV sequences revealed new endemic PNG lineages for DENV 1–3 which have emerged within the last decade. We also identified another possible PNG lineage for DENV-4 from 2016. The DENV-1 and 3 PNG lineages were most closely related to recent lineages circulating on Pacific island nations while the DENV-2 lineage and putative DENV-4 PNG lineage were most similar to Indonesian sequences. This study has demonstrated for the first time the co-circulation of DENV 1–4 strains in PNG and provided molecular evidence of endemic DENV transmission. Our results provide an important platform for improved surveillance and monitoring of DENVs in PNG and broaden the global understanding of DENV genetic diversity.Emerging Microbes & Infections (2017) 6, e114; doi:10.1038/emi.2017.103; published online 20 December 2017
Highlights
Responsible for significant socioeconomic and disease burdens within the tropics and sub-tropics, the recent and rapid geographical expansion of the dengue viruses (DENVs) has placed more than half of the world’s population at risk and resulted in a global infection rate of ~ 390 million per year.[1]
In order to demonstrate the phylogenetic relatedness of available DENV strains from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and to assess the development of established lineages, we analyzed globally available DENV 1–4 E gene sequences in comparison with new sequences from 196 strains, which were imported into Australia by travelers, or were derived from local outbreaks in Queensland, Australia between 2001 and 2016
The molecular data we present here are limited by the periodical sampling of DENV strains imported into Australia from PNG
Summary
Responsible for significant socioeconomic and disease burdens within the tropics and sub-tropics, the recent and rapid geographical expansion of the dengue viruses (DENVs) has placed more than half of the world’s population at risk and resulted in a global infection rate of ~ 390 million per year.[1] In the absence of a safe and effective vaccine for all four DENV serotypes, dengue remains the leading mosquito-borne viral disease of humans and nearly 75% of the population that are affected globally reside in the Asia-Pacific region.[1,2]. DENVs were identified as a major cause of morbidity amongst soldiers deployed to Asia and the Pacific during World War II. The first recovered strains of DENV were isolated in 1944 and included
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