Identification and characterization of potential new circulating dengue virus lineages between 2021 and 2026: contributions to evolutionary monitoring

• Grant number: 23/11919-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Data de Início da vigência: October 01, 2024
• Data de Término da vigência: March 31, 2028
• Área de conhecimento: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Alex Ranieri Jerônimo Lima
• Grantee: James Siqueira Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11944-6 - Continuous improvement of vaccines: Center for Viral Surveillance and Serological Assessment (CeVIVAS), AP.CCD

Abstract

Dengue, an endemic arbovirus in the Americas region, presents recurring epidemics every 3 to 5 years, with a high number of cases. Up to July 2023, Brazil has reported approximately 2.3 million cases, posing a public health concern. The dengue virus, belonging to the Flaviviridae family, is divided into 4 serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4), sharing approximately 65% of genetic similarity. Phylogenetic analyses of the serotypes have primarily focused on the envelope gene; however, studies suggest that this may not fully reflect the genetic diversity of the complete genome. Given the current context of potential vaccines and the advancement of genomic sequencing technologies in surveillance projects, it becomes paramount to investigate the evolutionary and phylogeographic characteristics of new viral lineages. This project aims to comprehensively analyze dengue virus lineages, including the detection of recombinations and determination of intra-host SNP frequencies, leveraging a substantial number of samples with complete genomes from the CeVIVAS project. The investigation will enable a better understanding of the virus's evolution and the dynamics of geographical dispersion, particularly in Brazil. The obtained results will provide crucial insights for the development of effective strategies for dengue prevention and control in the Americas.