Abstract
Despite Japan's temperate climate, a dengue outbreak occurred in Tokyo for the first time in over 70 years in 2014. We dissected this dengue outbreak based on phylogenetic analysis, travel interconnectivity, and environmental drivers for dengue epidemics. Comparing the available dengue virus 1 (DENV1) E gene sequence from this outbreak with 3,282 unique DENV1 sequences in National Center for Biotechnology Information suggested that the DENV might have been imported from China, Indonesia, Singapore, or Vietnam. With travelers arriving into Japan, Guangzhou (China) may have been the source of DENV introduction, given that Guangzhou also reported a large-scale dengue outbreak in 2014. Coinciding with the 2014 outbreak, Tokyo's climate conditions permitted the amplification of Aedes vectors and the annual peak of vectorial capacity. Given suitable vectors and climate conditions in addition to increasing interconnectivity with endemic areas of Asia, Tokyo's 2014 outbreak did not come as a surprise and may foretell more to come.
Highlights
Endemic in at least 100 countries, dengue is currently regarded as world’s most important mosquito-borne viral disease.[1]
Comparing the available dengue virus 1 (DENV1) E gene sequence from this outbreak with 3,282 unique DENV1 sequences in National Center for Biotechnology Information suggested that the DENV might have been imported from China, Indonesia, Singapore, or Vietnam
Japan has a temperate climate, the first dengue outbreak in over 70 years occurred in 2014.5,6 The outbreak was due to dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) and occurred in Tokyo, resulting in 160 dengue cases reported between August and October 2014.5,6 For an outbreak to occur in a previously dengue-free country, several factors must converge, such as importation of the DENV, presence of the vector, and favorable ecological and climatic conditions for the transmission of virus by vectors
Summary
Endemic in at least 100 countries, dengue is currently regarded as world’s most important mosquito-borne viral disease.[1]. With travelers arriving into Japan, Guangzhou (China) may have been the source of DENV introduction, given that Guangzhou reported a large-scale dengue outbreak in 2014.
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