Cross-reactivity between dengue virus and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: Confirmation study using specimens from dengue-infected patients before the COVID-19 pandemic
Siti Churrotin,
Ilham Harlan Amarullah,
Anisa Lailatul Fitria,
Siti Qamariyah Khairunisa,
Laura Navika Yamani,
Masanori Kameoka,
Novi Anggraeni,
Robby Nurhariansyah,
Dominicus Husada,
Citrawati Dyah Kencono Wungu
Affiliations
Siti Churrotin
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Indonesia-Japan Collaborative Research Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Master of Immunology Program, Postgraduate School of Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60286, East Java, Indonesia
Ilham Harlan Amarullah
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Indonesia-Japan Collaborative Research Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Master of Immunology Program, Postgraduate School of Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60286, East Java, Indonesia
Anisa Lailatul Fitria
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Indonesia-Japan Collaborative Research Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia
Siti Qamariyah Khairunisa
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Research Center on Global Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia
Laura Navika Yamani
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Research Center on Global Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistic, Population Studies and Health Promotion, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia
Masanori Kameoka
Indonesia-Japan Collaborative Research Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Department of Public Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 7-10-2 Tomogaoka, Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 654-0142, Japan
Novi Anggraeni
Ngudia Husada Madura Midwifery Academy, Bangkalan, Madura, 69116, Indonesia
Robby Nurhariansyah
Department of Child Health, Universitas Airlangga Hospital, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia
Dominicus Husada
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Indonesia-Japan Collaborative Research Center for Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga/Dr Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, 60132, Indonesia
Citrawati Dyah Kencono Wungu
Institute of Tropical Disease, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60115, East Java, Indonesia; Department of Physiology and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, 60132, East Java, Indonesia; Corresponding author. Department of Physiology and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Background: The simultaneous occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and a dengue outbreak has posed significant challenges for governments and medical personnel in dengue-endemic countries like Indonesia. Several studies in dengue-endemic countries have reported cases of misdiagnosis between COVID-19 and dengue. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the potential cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and dengue. Methods: This study aimed to confirm the serological cross-reaction between dengue virus and SARS-CoV-2 in Surabaya, East Java, which is a highly dengue-endemic city in Indonesia. In total, 238 serum samples with confirmed dengue that were collected before the emergence of COVID-19 were tested to detect the presence of reacting IgG and IgM antibodies (Abs) against SARS-CoV-2 via a rapid detection test (RDT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Samples from patients with dengue infection collected during the pandemic, from healthy volunteers predating the pandemic, and from patients with COVID-19 were used for comparison. Results and conclusion: Few (6.7 %) of the pre-COVID-19 dengue Ab-positive serum samples showed reactive on SARS-CoV-2 in the RDT, with significantly lower IgG and IgM levels detected in ELISA compared with the dengue samples collected during the pandemic and the COVID-19 samples (P < 0.005). A comparable anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentration was observed in the pre-COVID-19 dengue samples and healthy volunteers (P = 0.56), which also indicated other possibilities. In conclusion, our results suggested a low risk of cross-reactivity between dengue virus and SARS-CoV-2. However, they highlighted the need for caution when using and interpreting data obtained stemming from serological methods, to prevent false-positive results. Further studies are needed to evaluate the cross-reactivity between dengue virus, SARS-CoV-2, and other common human pathogens, as well as its effect on the serosurveys, treatment of these diseases, or vaccine efficacy.
