title: Genetic characterization of dengue viruses prevalent in Kerala State, India.
abstract: Dengue fever is re-emerging as a major scourge in south-east Asian countries, affecting about 50-100 million people and causing about 25,000 deaths annually. The Indian population as a whole is at risk of succumbing to this disease. This study genetically characterized viruses causing dengue infection in Kerala, one of the worst affected states of the country, during the disease outbreaks in 2008-2010. All four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV), DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4, were found to be prevalent in the state. The genotypes recognized for these were III, IV, III and I, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the re-emergence of serotype DENV-4 reported in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh recently is spreading to different regions of the country. The circulation of all four DENV serotypes in Kerala may lead to an increase in the prevalence of more severe complications of this emerging disease, such as dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Research Centre Field Station (ICMR), Kottayam 686 002, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: N Pradeep
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Government District Hospital, Kottayam 686 002, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Jayakumar
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Research Centre Field Station (ICMR), Kottayam 686 002, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Kochurani
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Kerala State Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases, Alappuzha, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamaraj
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR), Puducherry 605 006, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krishnamoorthy
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR), Puducherry 605 006, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabesan
authors.affiliation: Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR), Puducherry 605 006, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jambulingam
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058974:Phylogeography; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral