title: Detection of Chikungunya Virus in Nepal.
abstract: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an emerging alphaviral disease and a public health problem in South Asia including Nepal in recent years. In this study, sera were collected from patients presenting with fever, headache, muscular pain, fatigue, and joint pain of both upper and lower extremities. A total of 169 serum samples were tested for CHIKV and dengue virus (DENV) by using Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method during August to November 2013. Results showed that 3.6% and 27.8% samples were positive for CHIKV and DENV IgM positive, respectively. Similarly, results of IgG showed 3.0% samples were positive for CHIKV IgG and 29.0% were for DENV IgG positive. Further, a 50% focal reduction neutralization test (FRNT50) was performed to confirm the presence of CHIKV, which demonstrated that 8.9% of CHIKV IgM and/or IgG ELISA positive possessed neutralizing anti-CHIK antibodies. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which the presence of CHIKV is confirmed in Nepalese patients by FRNT50. Basic scientists and clinicians need to consider CHIKV as a differential diagnosis in febrile Nepalese patients, and policy makers should consider appropriate surveillance and actions for control strategies.
authors.affiliation: Leprosy Control Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal; Everest International Clinic and Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan drbasupandey@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Basu Dev
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: Leprosy Control Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal; Everest International Clinic and Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Biswas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neupane
authors.affiliation: Leprosy Control Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal; Everest International Clinic and Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kishor
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: Leprosy Control Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal; Everest International Clinic and Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Mya Myat Ngwe
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tun
authors.affiliation: Leprosy Control Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Kathmandu, Nepal; Everest International Clinic and Research Center, Kathmandu, Nepal; Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000276:immunology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M