title: Molecular epidemiology and evolutionary analysis of dengue virus type 2, circulating in Delhi, India.
abstract: Dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) has been associated with severe dengue outbreaks in many countries including India. Its predominance was recorded nearly after a decade in the capital city, Delhi in 2013. The present study characterizes DENV-2 circulated during 2013-2014. Analysis based on envelope (E) gene showed the presence of two clades (I and II) of DENV-2, within the Cosmopolitan genotype. Analysis of time of most recent common ancestor revealed the existence of clade I for more than a decade (95 % HPD 13-16 years) however, clade II showed comparatively recent emergence (95 % HPD 5-13 years). Presence of different clades is of high significance as this may result in increased virus transmission and major outbreaks. Further, the presence of a unique amino acid substitution, Q325H was also observed in an isolate; 14/D2/Del/2013 (KT717981). This substitution falls in immune epitope (epitope id: 150268) and may have important role in host immune response.
authors.affiliation: Division of Zoonosis, National Centre for Disease Control, 22-Sham-Nath Marg, Delhi, 110054 India.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Division of Zoonosis, National Centre for Disease Control, 22-Sham-Nath Marg, Delhi, 110054 India.
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.affiliation: Division of Zoonosis, National Centre for Disease Control, 22-Sham-Nath Marg, Delhi, 110054 India.
authors.forename: Mala
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chhabra
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Entomology and Vector Management, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054 India.
authors.forename: Roop
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.affiliation: Division of Biotechnology, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054 India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Division of Zoonosis, National Centre for Disease Control, 22-Sham-Nath Marg, Delhi, 110054 India ; Centre for Medical Entomology and Vector Management, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054 India ; Division of Biotechnology, National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, 110054 India.
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
keywords: Dengue; Envelope; Evolutionary analysis; Molecular epidemiology