Fiocruz identifies three cases of dengue serotype 3 in Roraima Roraima

A study published Wednesday (10th) identified three cases of people with dengue serotype 3 in Roraima, in 2023. The research, which was coordinated by Fiocruz Amazonia and the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC/Fiocruz), raises an alert about the risks of dengue disease. . An epidemic of the strain in Brazil, after more than 15 years without an outbreak of the viral serotype.

The cases are authentic, meaning they correspond to patients who became infected in the state and had no travel history. They were identified with the support of the Central Public Health Laboratory (Lacen).

entirely, Four cases have been recorded in the country. According to the study, the fourth was identified in Curitiba, Paraná, and imported, as the infected person traveled to Suriname, where he likely contracted the disease.

According to the virologist and head of the Vigilance Center for Emerging, Re-emerging and Neglected Viruses at Fiocruz Amazonia, the prevalence of a serotype that was absent is worrying.

“In this study, we performed the genetic profiling of cases of dengue virus serotype 3. This is an indication that we may again, perhaps not now, but in the coming months or years, have epidemics caused by this serotype,” Naveca explains.

Analyzes indicate that the detected strain is not the same one that caused epidemics in Brazil in the early 2000s. The species identified this year was introduced into the Americas from Asia, between 2018 and 2020, possibly through the Caribbean, according to Fiocruz.

“Our results showed that there is a new introduction of the third genotype of serotype 3 of dengue virus in the Americas, coming from Asia. This strain is widespread in Central America and has recently infected people in the United States. Now, we have determined that it has reached Brazil,” he says. The expert.

Dengue virus is transmitted by the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito and has four different serotypes: DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 – all of which can cause different forms of the disease.

According to Fiocruz, infection with one of them generates immunity against the same serotype. However, it is possible to contract dengue again if there is contact with a different serotype.

The risk of a pandemic with the return of serotype 3 is caused by the low immunity of the population, since few people have been infected with this virus since the last epidemics, according to the foundation.

There is also a risk of severe dengue, which occurs more frequently in people who have already had the disease and develop it again with another serotype.

All age groups are at equal risk of developing the disease, but the elderly and those with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are more likely to develop serious conditions and other complications that can lead to death.

Fiocruz’s research was supported by the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation (Fapeam), the Amazonas Genomic Health Surveillance Network, the Fiocruz Genomic Network, Inova Fiocruz, the Ministry of Science and Technology (Decit) of Brazil’s Ministry of Health, and the National Council. Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and Research Support Foundation of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Among the main symptoms of dengue patients are:

The infection can also be asymptomatic or be a mild case. The acute form of the disease includes severe and persistent abdominal pain, persistent nausea, vomiting, and bleeding from the mucous membranes.

According to the Ministry of Health, the first appearance of dengue fever is a high fever (> 38 ° C), with sudden onset, which usually lasts from 2 to 7 days, accompanied by headache, body and joint pain, in addition to prostration. Weakness and pain behind the eyes and red spots on the skin. A rash and itchy skin may also occur.

If you have symptoms, the recommendation is for the patient to seek care at the nearest basic health unit (UBS) for medical evaluation and case notification.