Production and characterization of monoclonal antibody specific to recombinant dengue multi-epitope protein.

Monoclonal antibodies against novel dengue recombinant protein were produced following immunization of Balb/c mice with recombinant dengue multi-epitope protein (r-DMEP) expressed in Escherichia coli vector and purified in a single-step chromatography system. Antigenicity of r-DMEP was evaluated by dot enzyme immunoassay. Mice were immunized intraperitoneally with five doses each of 100 microg of this novel antigen at 1-week intervals and a final intravenous booster dose prior to the fusion.

Reemergence of dengue virus type-3 (subtype-III) in India: implications for increased incidence of DHF & DSS.

Background: Dengue virus infection has recently taken endemic proportion in India implicating all the four known dengue serotypes. There was a major dengue outbreak in northern India including Delhi in October- December, 2003 and again in 2004. We have carried out a detailed investigation of the 2004 outbreak by Serosurveillance, RT-PCR, nested PCR, virus isolation and genotyping.

Rapid detection and differentiation of dengue virus serotypes by a real-time reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.

The development and validation of a one-step, real-time, and quantitative dengue virus serotype-specific reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay targeting the 3' noncoding region for the rapid detection and differentiation of dengue virus serotypes are reported. The RT-LAMP assay is very simple and rapid, wherein the amplification can be obtained in 30 min under isothermal conditions at 63 degrees C by employing a set of four serotype-specific primer mixtures through real-time monitoring in an inexpensive turbidimeter. The evaluation of the RT-LAMP assay for use for clinical diagnosis with a limited number of patient serum samples, confirmed to be infected with each serotype, revealed a higher sensitivity by picking up 100% samples as positive, whereas 87% and 81% of the samples were positive by reverse transcription-PCR and virus isolation, respectively.

Emergence of dengue virus type-3 in northern India.

During the last few decades dengue has reemerged in several parts of Southeast Asia, including India. A major outbreak of dengue infection occurred in northern India during October to December 2003. To determine the etiology, we carried out serological, virological and molecular investigations of this outbreak.

Emergence and continued circulation of dengue-2 (genotype IV) virus strains in northern India.

Dengue (DEN) is an acute mosquito borne viral disease of mankind. Off late it has become an important public health concern in Southeast Asia. Although, all the four known dengue virus serotypes (DEN-1 to 4) are reported from time to time, in the recent past, DEN-2 has emerged as the predominant type, being the causative agent of several outbreaks of dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) in India.