Abstract
In Korea, dengue infection has been frequently reported in travelers to tropical and subtropical countries. Global warming increases the probability of autochthonous dengue outbreaks in Korea. In this report, the molecular and evolutionary properties of four dengue virus (DENV) type 2 isolates from Korean overseas travelers were examined. Three of these isolates were classified as Cosmopolitan genotypes and further divided into sublineages 1 (43,253, 43,254) and 2 (43,248), while the other isolate (KBPV-VR29) was related to American genotypes. The variable amino acid motifs related to virulence and replication were identified in the structural and non-structural proteins. A negative selection mechanism was clearly verified in all of the DENV proteins. Potential recombination events were identified in the NS5 protein of the XSBN10 strain. The substitution rate (5.32 × 10−4 substitutions per site) and the time of the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) for each evolutionary group were determined by the Bayesian skyline coalescent method. This study shows that DENV type 2 strains with distinct phylogenetic, evolutionary, and virulence characteristics have been introduced into Korea by overseas travelers and have the potential to trigger autochthonous dengue outbreaks.
Highlights
Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most prevalent pathogens in tropical and subtropical countries [1]
Three viruses of the Cosmopolitan genotype were further divided into two sublineages: sublineage 1 (43,253 and 43,254) and sublineage 2 (43,248)
There has been a continuous increase in DENV outbreaks worldwide due to global warming, increased global travel, and rapid urbanization [3, 4]
Summary
Dengue virus (DENV) is one of the most prevalent pathogens in tropical and subtropical countries [1]. A total of 3.6 billion people live in areas at risk for epidemic transmission, and nearly 400 million people suffer from DENV infection annually [1]. For this reason, dengue infection is one of the 17 diseases prioritized by the World Health Organization. Dengue infection is one of the 17 diseases prioritized by the World Health Organization This increased incidence has been caused by three factors: rapid urbanization, increased global travel, and global warming [3]. Global warming has widened the growth habitats of these mosquito species and increased the distribution of dengue outbreaks worldwide [4]
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