What is Dengue Fever?

Dengue is a mosquito-borne flaviviral infection with four serotypes (DENV-1–4); secondary infection with a different serotype raises the risk of severe dengue.

It is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Diagnosis combines NS1 antigen detection in early infection with anti-dengue IgM/IgG serology, all supported by ELISA and recombinant NS1/envelope antigens.

Transmission & symptoms

Dengue virus (DENV-1 to -4) is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Illness ranges from asymptomatic infection to dengue fever and, in a minority, severe dengue with plasma leakage and haemorrhage — a risk that increases on secondary infection with a different serotype (antibody-dependent enhancement).

Diagnosis & serology

Diagnosis is stage-dependent: NS1 antigen ELISA detects early acute infection (days 1–7), while anti-DENV IgM and IgG serology identify current and past infection. Distinguishing primary from secondary infection by IgG avidity/ratio is important for severe-dengue risk research.

Research applications

Research tools cover DENV entry receptors and attachment factors (DC-SIGN/CD209, the TAM receptor AXL, CLEC5A), vascular-leak and cytokine responses (IL-6, VEGF, IP-10) and cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses relevant to serodiagnosis and vaccine design.