Publications by authors named "Somphavanh Somlor"

Laos is a hyperendemic country of all 4 dengue serotypes. Various factors contribute to the spread of the disease including viral itself, vectors, and environment. This study aims to analyze dengue data and its incidence in nine districts of Vientiane Capital, Laos spanning from 2019 to 2021 by data collected from Mittaphab Hospital.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dengue fever is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral infection of humans in tropical and subtropical countries. Since 1979, dengue has been reported to be endemic in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), as in many countries in Southeast Asia, with a complex circulation of the four dengue viruses' serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4). By sequencing the complete envelope protein, we explored a panel of samples from five Lao Provinces (Vientiane capital, Luangprabang, Bolikhamxay, Saravane, Attapeu) to enrich knowledge about the co-circulation of DENVs in Lao PDR between 2010 and 2016.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The first documented chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) occurred in 2012-2013. Since then, several imported and a few autochthonous cases were identified by the national arbovirus surveillance network. The present study aimed to summarize the main genetic features of the CHIKV strains detected in Lao PDR between 2014 and 2020.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The animal reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 is unknown despite reports of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses in Asian Rhinolophus bats, including the closest virus from R. affinis, RaTG13 (refs. ), and pangolins.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Since its first detection in 1979, dengue fever has been considered a major public health issue in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). Dengue virus (DENV) serotype 1 was the cause of an epidemic in 2010-2011. Between 2012 and 2020, major outbreaks due successively to DENV-3, DENV-4 and recently DENV-2 have been recorded.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dengue is a serious tropical disease caused by the mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV). Performant, rapid, and easy-to-use assays are needed for the accurate diagnosis of acute DENV infection. We evaluated the performance of three prototype assays developed for the VIDAS automated platform to detect dengue NS1 antigen and anti-dengue IgM and IgG antibodies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • In 2020, Laos reported low COVID-19 cases, prompting a seroprevalence study to investigate potential silent transmission of the virus among the population.
  • The study involved 3,173 participants, including general community members, healthcare workers, and those in contact with bats/wildlife, using ELISAs to measure SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.
  • Results showed minimal evidence of significant virus circulation prior to September 2020, likely due to effective government measures, social behavior, and low population density, though higher antibody levels in wildlife contacts hinted at potential exposure to animal coronaviruses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a Flavivirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, and was responsible for a worldwide outbreak between 2013 and 2016. However, no ZIKV outbreak has been described in Southeast Asia since 2017. In this study, we report the first microcephaly case with probable ZIKV infection during pregnancy in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dengue outbreaks have regularly been recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) since the first detection of the disease in 1979. In 2012, an integrated arbovirus surveillance network was set up in Lao PDR and an entomological surveillance has been implemented since 2016 in Vientiane Capital. Here, we report a study combining epidemiological, phylogenetic, and entomological analyzes during the largest DENV-4 epidemic ever recorded in Lao PDR (2015-2019).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Dengue fever is a significant public health issue in Laos, with recent outbreaks dominated by the DENV-2 serotype since late 2018.
  • A Genotype Screening Protocol (GSP) was developed to identify the origins and genetic variations of DENV-2 in Laos, revealing the presence of two distinct genotypes.
  • The GSP offers valuable insights for countries with limited lab resources to monitor dengue outbreaks and improve their response capabilities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In May 2012, the first authenticated cases of active chikungunya virus infection were detected in Champasak Province, Southern Laos. Analysis of series of human samples and mosquito specimens collected during the outbreak and over the year that followed the emergence enabled the drawing up of a map of the progression of CHIKV and the establishment of a full genetic characterization of the virus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF