Dengue virus life cycle: viral and host factors modulating infectivity

Dengue virus life cycle: viral and host factors modulating infectivity

Izabela A. Rodenhuis-Zybert • Jan Wilschut Jolanda M. Smit

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Received: 4 January 2010 / Revised: 8 March 2010 / Accepted: 16 March 2010 / Published online: 6 April 2010 Ó Springer Basel AG 2010

Abstract Dengue virus (DENV 1-4) represents a major emerging arthropod-borne pathogen. All four DENV serotypes are prevalent in the (sub) tropical regions of the world and infect 50–100 million individuals annually. Whereas the majority of DENV infections proceed asymptomatically or result in self-limited dengue fever, an increasing number of patients present more severe manifestations, such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. In this review we will give an overview of the infectious life cycle of DENV and will discuss the viral and host factors that are important in controlling DENV infection. Keywords Dengue Á Flavivirus Á Life cycle Á Immune response Á Pathogenesis Á Host factors Á Virulence Á Antibody-dependent enhancement

Introduction Dengue is the most common arthropod-borne viral infection in the world [1, 2]. The disease is endemic in more than 100 countries throughout Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and the Western Pacific. There are four distinct serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) and each of these serotypes can cause disease symptoms ranging from self-limited febrile illness called

dengue fever (DF) to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) [2–4]. Infection with one serotype confers protective immunity against that serotype but not against other serotypes. In fact, several retrospective and prospective studies have revealed that secondary infection with a heterologous serotype is a risk factor for developing DHF/DSS [4–8]. Also, infants born to dengueimmune

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