Infection and Drug Resistance (May 2022)
Circulation of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 in Humans and Mosquitoes During an Outbreak in El Quseir City, Egypt
Abstract
Asmaa M El-Kady,1 Heba A Osman,2 Mohamed Farouk Alemam,3 Dina Marghani,4 Mohammed A Shanawaz,5 Majed H Wakid,6,7 Wafa Abdullah I Al-Megrin,8 Hatem A Elshabrawy,9 Osama H Abdella,1 Khaled S Allemailem,10 Ahmad Almatroudi,10 Mostafa I EL-Amir11 1Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 2Department of Gastroenterology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 3Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt; 4Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Taibah University, Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Public Health, Applied Medical Sciences College, Albaha University, Albaha, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 7Special Infectious Agent Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX, 77304, USA; 10Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, 51452, Saudi Arabia; 11Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptCorrespondence: Asmaa M El-Kady; Hatem A Elshabrawy, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: In recent decades, the rate of infection with dengue virus (DENV) has risen significantly, now affecting nearly 400 million individuals annually. Dengue fever among humans is caused via specific mosquito vectors bites. Sporadic cases have been reported in Egypt. The goal of this study was to identify the serotype of the DENV outbreak in both human and mosquito vector along the coast of the Red Sea, Upper Egypt, in 2017. Identification of the serotype of the virus may help identify its source and assist in applying epidemiological and control measures.Materials and Methods: The current study was carried out in El Quseir City, Red Sea Governorate, Upper Egypt, on 144 patients complaining of symptoms indicative of dengue fever at the time of the 2017 Egypt outbreak. Human blood samples and the mosquito reservoirs were identified as having dengue virus infection serologically and molecularly.Results: Overall, 97 (67.4%) patients were positive for dengue virus IgM antibodies. Molecular examination of the human samples and pools of mosquitoes revealed that DENV-2 virus was the serotype responsible for the outbreak. Only one pool of female mosquitoes containing Aedes aegypti was infected with dengue fever virus (DENV-2).Conclusion: This was the first serotyping of the DENV responsible for dengue virus outbreak in Egypt in 2017. Determining the serotype of dengue virus can help to avoid and monitor outbreaks. The serotype identified in this study was DENV-2, while DENV-1 was the serotype found in the previous outbreak in 2015 in the province of Assiut. This study thus raises concerns that a new dengue serotype could have been introduced into Egypt. It is necessary for a comprehensive risk assessment to be carried out in the country, including an entomological survey, to assess the presence and potential geographical expansion of mosquito vectors there.Keywords: dengue fever, Upper Egypt, serotyping, human, mosquito, multiplex PCR
