Journal
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL VIROLOGY
Volume 55, Issue 1, Pages 23-29Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2012.05.010
Keywords
Dengue virus; Filter paper; Real-time RT-PCR; Pacific Island Countries; Surveillance
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Funding
- Fonds de Cooperation Economique, Sociale et Culturelle pour le Pacifique - Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres et Europeennes, France [75/1/2009]
- Agence Nationale pour la Recherche, France [ANR-09-MIEN-028-01, ANR-09-MIEN-028-02]
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Background: In Pacific Island Countries (PICs) the epidemiology of dengue is characterized by long-term transmission of a single dengue virus (DENV) serotype. The emergence of a new serotype in one island country often indicates major outbreaks with this serotype will follow in other PICs. Objectives: Filter paper (FP) cards on which whole blood or serum from dengue suspected patients had been dried was evaluated as a method for transportation of this material by standard mail delivery throughout the Pacific. Study design: Twenty-two FP-dried whole blood samples collected from patients in New Caledonia and Wallis & Futuna Islands, during DENV-1 and DENV-4 transmission, and 76 FP-dried sera collected from patients in Yap State, Majuro (Republic of Marshall Islands), Tonga and Fiji, before and during outbreaks of DENV-2 in Yap State and DENV-4 in Majuro, were tested for the presence of DENV RNA, by serotype specific RT-PCR, at the Institut Louis Malarde in French Polynesia. Results: The serotype of DENV could be determined, by a variety of RT-PCR procedures, in the FP-dried samples after more than three weeks of transport at ambient temperatures. In most cases, the sequencing of the envelope gene to genotype the viruses also was possible. Conclusions: The serotype and genotype of DENV can be determined from FP-dried serum or whole blood samples transported over thousands of kilometers at ambient, tropical, temperatures. This simple and low-cost approach to virus identification should be evaluated in isolated and resource poor settings for surveillance for a range of significant viral diseases. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B. V.
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