Dengue virus (DENV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is the causative agent of dengue fever, currently one of the most significant emerging disease challenges to global public health. Although dengue is an old disease, recent decades have seen an unprecedented increase in the geographic range, incidence, and severity of infection. The virus infects 100 million people annually and is endemic in many tropical and sub-tropical regions in the world.

At present, neither a licensed vaccine nor anti-viral drugs are available to control dengue disease, prompting a plethora of research initiatives aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular virology, genomics, and evolution of this important virus.

Further reading: Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research

Labels: dengue, dengue disease, dengue fever, dengue virus, DENV, flavivirus