Has dengue infection become more serious after Covid? Report says this

The study, titled ‘SARS-CoV-2 antibodies cross over and enhance dengue infection’ was conducted by a team from the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) under the central government’s department of biotechnology.

The report claimed that antibodies from SARS-CoV-2 infection or experimental immunization in animals can cross-react with DENV-2, a dengue virus serotype, potentially enhancing dengue infection in animal cells.

It said: “This study is the first to demonstrate that anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can cross-react with DENV-2 (dengue virus 2) and enhance its infection via antibody-dependent enhancement (the ability of antibodies from a previous infection to help a virus infect larger numbers of cells than it would have done on its own).”

These findings have implications for the development and deployment strategies of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in regions where dengue is endemic, it added.

The research has been published on the medical sciences preprint server bioRxiv, but has yet to be peer-reviewed.

The number of dengue cases is likely to increase

Meanwhile, dengue cases have surged across the country, including in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

On Wednesday, government data in Uttar Pradesh indicated that 24 deaths have been reported in the state so far. However, the toll would rise if data from private hospitals are also included.

Also, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Thursday that with the northeast monsoon just around the corner, the government is expecting a rise in dengue cases.

“About 1,000 to 1,500 cases of dengue are expected in November and December due to the northeast monsoon,” he said.

Dengue symptoms include high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, rash and bleeding tendencies. Severe cases, also called hemorrhagic fever, can lead to plasma leakage and low platelet counts.

“Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp channels 🚀 Register today by clicking on the link and stay informed of the latest financial insights!” Click here!

Updated: Oct 20, 2023 1:13 PM IST