First isolation of dengue 3 in Brazil from an imported case

Abstract

The authors report the isolation of dengue 3 virus for the first time in Brazil. The patient, resident in Limeira-SP, traveled to Nicaragua on May 16th, 1998, where he stayed for two months. Starting on August 14 th he had fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain and diarrhea. He returned to Brazil on August 16th and was hospitalized in the next day. The patient had full recovery and was discharged on August 20th. The virus was isolated in C6/36 cell culture inoculated with serum collected on the 6th day after the onset of the symptoms. The serotype 3 was identified by indirect immunofluorescence assays performed with type-specific monoclonal antibodies. This serotype was further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis. The introduction of a new dengue serotype in a susceptible population is a real threat for the occurrence of severe forms of the disease. The isolation and identification of dengue virus are important in order to monitoring the serotypes circulating in Brazil and to take the measures necessary to prevent and control an epidemic.

Pathologic study of a fatal case of dengue-3 virus infection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…In contrast to the 1986-1987, 1990-1991 and 1995 epidemics, the 2001-2002 epidemic was characterized by the circulation of serotype 3, which had been isolated for the first time in Brazil a few months earlier [15,16]. We report the findings of a virological and pathological post-mortem evaluation of a fatal case of dengue-3 virus infection in an inhabitant of the city of Rio de Janeiro, who died during the 2001/ 2002 epidemic [13].…”

Genetic characterization of dengue virus type 3 isolates in the State of Rio de Janeiro, 2001

“…In Brazil, DEN-3 virus was isolated in São Paulo in 1998 from an imported case and since then no more cases were detected in that region, showing no DEN-3 virus transmission (14). After two years, DEN-3 virus was introduced into the State of Rio de Janeiro, being the first autochthonous virus isolated in the municipality of Nova Iguaçu from a 40-year-old woman who presented classical dengue fever and who fully recovered from the illness (7).…”

Molecular epidemiology of type 1 and 2 dengue viruses in Brazil from 1988 to 2001

“…The 25 new nucleotide sequences determined in this study allowed us to expand considerably the number of Brazilian dengue virus strains evaluated so far regarding their genomic variability and molecular epidemiology. As a huge tropical country with many frontiers, a high rate of A. aegypti infestation and a growing migration flow, Brazil has been recognized as a high risk for the introduction and circulation of new serotypes and/or genotypes of dengue virus (25,27). To date, this has been true for the introduction and circulation of new serotypes, but not for new genotypes, as demonstrated by the present study.…”

“…From 1995 to 2001, an increasing number of DF and DHF cases has been observed in several urban areas of the country (17). Recently, DEN-3 has been isolated in Brazil but its association with DHF has not been clearly established (27,28).…”