Journal
VIRUSES-BASEL
Volume 13, Issue 10, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/v13101910
Keywords
dengue; molecular epidemiology; autochthonous transmission; surveillance
Categories
Funding
- Agencia de Gestio d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR)-Departament d'Empresa i Coneixement. Generalitat de Catalunya [2017 SGR 794]
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Red de Enfermedades Tropicales, Subprograma Redes Tematicas de Investigacion Cooperativa en Salud Plan Estatal de I + D + I 2013-2016-Federacion Espanola de Enfermedades Raras [Una Manera de Hacer Europa] [RD16CIII/0003/0003]
- Societat Catalana de Malalties Infeccioses i Microbiologia Clinica (grant Agusti Pumarola 2020)
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This study conducted molecular characterization of 104 dengue cases detected in Catalonia, northeastern Spain, from 2013 to 2018, including imported infections and the first autochthonous case in the region. All four dengue serotypes were detected in travelers, reflecting global circulation in endemic areas. The primary travel-related case of the 2018 autochthonous transmission was not identified, but molecular analysis revealed the origin of the dengue virus strain.
Dengue is the most significant arbovirus worldwide and a public health threat to non-endemic areas in which Aedes vectors are present. Autochthonous dengue transmission has been reported in several European countries in the last decade. Infected travelers from endemic regions arriving to areas colonized by Aedes albopictus in Europe need to be monitored in surveillance and control programs. We aimed to perform molecular characterization of RT-PCR-positive dengue cases detected in Catalonia, northeastern Spain, from 2013 to 2018. The basic demographic information and the geographical regions of importation were also analyzed. One-hundred four dengue cases were studied (103 imported infections and the first autochthonous case in our region). The dengue virus strains detected were serotyped and genotyped using molecular methods, and phylogenetic analyses were conducted. All four dengue serotypes were detected in travelers, including up to 10 different genotypes, reflecting the global circulation of dengue in endemic areas. The primary travel-related case of the 2018 autochthonous transmission was not identified, but the molecular analysis revealed dengue serotype 1, genotype I of Asian origin. Our results highlight the diversity of imported dengue virus strains and the role of molecular epidemiology in supporting arbovirus surveillance programs.
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