Dengue is receiving significant international attention as it threatens over 40% of the world population, according to WHO. Dengue cases with significant fatality rates have started rising in tropical countries this year already, as demonstrated by reports from India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Colombia, among others. Dengue is endemic in Asia, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and many countries in South America. Dengue virus infections have occurred in the southern US states, including a current outbreak in Key West, and travel leads to sporadic cases of dengue in the US.

Foundations run by Bill Gates and Carlos Slim are now teaming up with Spain to donate a total of $150 million to fight dengue fever, malaria and malnutrition in Mexico and Central America under the 2015 Meso-American Health Initiative (blog.taragana/health/2010/06/14/bill-gates-carlos-slim-announce-150-million-health-donation-for-mexico-central-america-24172/ ).

Dengue virus, a member of the Flaviviridae family of viruses that includes West Nile and Hepatitis C viruses, is transmitted to humans via female Aedes mosquitoes. There are 4 different serotypes of Dengue virus that infect humans. When a person is infected with Dengue virus for the first time, the disease may not be severe, inducing fever, muscle and joint pain, and rash. When the same person is later infected by a different Dengue virus serotype a more severe disease may develop; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever/Dengue Shock Syndrome (DHF/DSS) occurs in a significant portion of this population. This DHF/DSS may be due to ADE caused by antibodies produced during the first infection. According to the WHO, fatality rates of DHF/DSS can exceed 20%. Currently there are no approved vaccines for prevention nor drugs for treatment of Dengue virus infection.

SOURCE NanoViricides, Inc.