Tracing down the Updates on Dengue Virus—Molecular Biology, Antivirals, and Vaccine Strategies

Abstract

Background: Nearly half of the world is at risk of developing dengue infection. Dengue virus is the causative agent behind this public healthcare concern. Millions of dengue cases are reported every year, leading to thousands of deaths. The scientific community is working to develop effective therapeutic strategies in the form of vaccines and antiviral drugs against dengue. Methods: In this review, a methodological approach has been used to gather data from the past five years to include the latest developments against the dengue virus. Results: Different therapeutics and antiviral targets against the dengue virus are at different stages of development, but none have been approved by the FDA. Moreover, various vaccination strategies have also been discussed, including attenuated virus vaccines, recombinant subunit vaccines, viral vector vaccines, DNA vaccines, nanotechnology, and plant-based vaccines, which are used to develop effective vaccines for the dengue virus. Many dengue vaccines pass the initial phases of evaluation, but only two vaccines have been approved for public use. DENGVAXIA is the only FDA-approved vaccine against all four stereotypes of the dengue virus, but it is licensed for use only in individuals 6–16 years of age with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection and living in endemic countries. Takeda is the second vaccine approved for use in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, and Thailand. It produced sustained antibody responses against all four serotypes of dengue virus, regardless of previous exposure and dosing schedule. Other dengue vaccine candidates at different stages of development are TV-003/005, TDENV PIV, V180, and some DNA vaccines. Conclusion: There is a need to put more effort into developing effective vaccines and therapeutics for dengue, as already approved vaccines and therapeutics have limitations. DENGVAXIA is approved for use in children and teenagers who are 6–16 years of age and have confirmed dengue infection, while Takeda is approved for use in certain countries, and it has withdrawn its application for FDA approval.

Anais do I Congresso Médico-Universitário do Centro-Oeste do Paraná

“…Segundo Malik et al (2023), as estratégias de imunização das vacinas podem ser resumidas em 8: 1-baseada na proteína de envelope; 2 -de vírus atenuado; 3 -de DNA; 4 -de vetor viral; 5 -de subunidade; 6 -recombinantes; 7-de vírus inativado e; 8 -de mRNA. Todas as vacinas licenciadas até o presente momento são de vírus atenuado: a Dengvaxia® do laboratório francês Sanofi Pasteur, que utiliza a cepa quimérica do vírus da febre amarela 17d com partes da pré-membrana e do envelope da DENV, e a Qdenga® do laboratório japonês Takeda, que se utiliza-se da cepa DENV-2 PDK53-K inativada.…”

“…Dessa forma, eliminar água acumulada em locais que podem se tornar possíveis criadouros, desde pequenos objetos, como tampas de garrafas, a objetos em larga escala, como piscinas, bem como fazer o uso de roupas e repelentes em momentos nos quais os mosquitos estão mais ativos (durante o dia) garantem certo nível de proteção. Ademais, estratégias como o uso de mosquitos inférteis, controle por Wolbachia, modificações genéticas e controle químico já foram aplicadas e possuem eficiência documentada (KHAN et al 2023), podendo ser úteis para a prevenção de dengue em pacientes imunossuprimidos.…”

Aspartate Aminotransferase-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) as a Novel Score in Early Detection of Complicated Dengue Fever

“…Currently, there are no definitive medications available for dengue virus infection or any effective vaccines to prevent further attacks of this disease, as debated in another study. 31 , 32 Therefore, ensuring close monitoring of severity signs for dengue and supportive management, including temperature control and judicious use of intravenous fluids during the critical phase of dengue, can reduce complications and affect mortality, as conferred in another study. 33 …”

Development of Vaccines against Emerging Mosquito-Vectored Arbovirus Infections

“…However, the development of some of them has been discontinued or is very slow. This is the case for a live attenuated vaccine (TDEN-LAV) whose development has been discontinued [ 25 ], an inactivated adjuvanted vaccine (TDEN-PIV) [ 26 ], a DNA vaccine [ 27 ] for which no recent reports are available, and, finally, a recombinant subunit vaccine (V180) [ 28 ] and a live attenuated vaccine (DENV-1-LVHC) [ 29 ] whose development has been stopped at phase I. Only three DENV vaccines have reached an advanced phase of development and two of them, Dengvaxia and Qdenga, have been authorized for use in some countries [ 20 ].…”