Rapid genotyping protocol to improve dengue virus serotype 2 survey in Lao PDR

Elodie Calvez (1) , Somphavanh Somlor (1) , Souksakhone Viengphouthong (1) , Charlotte Baliere (2) , Phaithong Bounmany (1) , Sitsana Keosenhom (1) , Valérie Caro (2) , Marc Grandadam (1)

1 Institut Pasteur du Laos
2 ERI - Environnement et Risques infectieux - Environment and Infectious Risks

Dengue fever is one of the major public health problems in Lao PDR. Over the last decade, dengue virus (DENV) epidemics were characterized by a novel predominant serotype accompanied by at least two other serotypes. Since 2008, DENV-2 circulated at a low level in Lao PDR but its epidemiologic profile changed at the end of 2018. Indeed, the number of confirmed DENV-2 cases suddenly increased in October 2018 and DENV-2 became predominant at the country level in early 2019. We developed a Genotype Screening Protocol (GSP) to determine the origin(s) of the Lao DENV-2 and study their genetic polymorphism. With a good correlation with full envelope gene sequencing data, this molecular epidemiology tool evidence the co-circulation of two highly polymorphic DENV-2 genotypes, i.e. Asian I and Cosmopolitan genotypes, over the last five years, suggesting multiple introductions of DENV-2 in the country. GSP approach provides relevant first line information that may help countries with limited laboratory resources to reinforce their capabilities to DENV-2 and to follow the epidemics progresses and assess situations at the regional level.

Domaines: Santé; Bactériologie; Virologie; Santé publique et épidémiologie; Biologie moléculaire; Génomique, Transcriptomique et Protéomique [q-bio.GN]

Elodie Calvez, Somphavanh Somlor, Souksakhone Viengphouthong, Charlotte Baliere, Phaithong Bounmany, et al.. Rapid genotyping protocol to improve dengue virus serotype 2 survey in Lao PDR. PLoS ONE, 2020, 15 (8), pp.e0237384. ⟨10.1371/journal.pone.0237384⟩. ⟨pasteur-03260830⟩