title: Identification of Dengue Type 1 Virus (DENV-1) in Koreans Traveling Abroad.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To date, no indigenous dengue virus (DENV) transmissions have been reported in Korea. However, imported dengue infections have been diagnosed in travelers returning from endemic areas. This study presents the first virological evidence of travel-associated DENV importation into South Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2004 to June 2006, a total of 278 serum samples from 245 patients with suspected dengue fever were tested using the Panbio Dengue Duo IgM/IgG Rapid Strip Test. We selected 11 of the early symptomatic-phase sera that were negative for IgM and retrospectively studied them by virus isolation and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 11 serum samples were found to be DENV positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and viruses were successfully isolated from seven of the 11 serum samples. All the isolates were identified as DENV serotype-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We successfully isolated seven DENV serotype-1 strains for the first time in South Korea from imported infections. Considering that the vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus, already exists in South Korea, we propose that a vector surveillance program for dengue is urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Arboviruses, Korea National Institute of Health, Osong, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Eui
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Yeon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Myung Guk
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Young Ran
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Ju
keywords: Dengue virus; Korea; diagnosis; reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction