The resurgence of dengue serotype 3 may cause a new epidemic throughout the Americas, according to a study coordinated by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the main health research center in Brazil and Latin America, released this Wednesday.. In Peru, this virus has already caused 62 deaths so far this year.
The serotype 3 of the virus, which has not caused epidemics in Brazil for more than 15 years, was identified in four cases of patients infected this year in the country.
The study, which had the collaboration of other research centers, points out that the circulation of a serotype that has been absent for so long causes concern about the possibility of causing new dengue epidemics.
“It is an indication that we may have again, perhaps not now, but in the coming months or years, epidemics caused by this virus,” said virologist Felipe Naveca, head of Fiocruz's Center for Surveillance of Emerging, Reemerging and Neglected Viruses. Amazon.
According to Naveca, the analyzes indicate that the detected strain was introduced from Asia between 2018 and 2020 and possibly through the Caribbean.
“The lineage of serotype 3 that we detected is not the same as that already circulating in America and that caused epidemics in Brazil in the early 2000s.. Our results showed that there was a new introduction of dengue virus serotype 3 genotype III into the Americas from Asia,” he explained.
The expert said that this lineage of the virus is currently circulating in Central America and that, in addition to the cases registered in Brazil, others have also been recently reported in the United States.
“This is a valid alert not only for Brazil, but for the entire region of the Americas,” he warned.
Of the four cases registered in Brazil, three were reported in the north of the country in the state of Roraima, and all are autochthonous cases, that is, they correspond to patients who were infected in that region and had no travel history.
The other case, registered in the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil, was imported, as a person from Suriname was diagnosed.
The dengue virus has four serotypes.. Infection with one of them generates immunity against the same serotype, but it is possible to contract dengue again if there is contact with a different serotype.
The risk of an epidemic with the return of serotype 3 is due to the low immunity of the population, since few people have contracted this virus since the last recorded epidemics in the early 2000s.
Dengue situation in Peru
This virus has caused 62 deaths so far this year and the Peruvian government will extend the state of emergency for 120 days to 20 regions of the country, announced Wednesday the Minister of Health, Rosa Gutiérrez.
Last year there were 63,168 cases of dengue with 86 deaths nationwide, Gutiérrez said.
The head of Health clarified that, currently, “there is no vaccine accredited by PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)” against dengue and that, therefore, “we cannot bring any vaccine” to face this health emergency caused by the mosquito bite.
The ministry reported that it has carried out the control of mosquito larvae in nearly 700,000 houses, collected 1,700 tons of useless debris and has carried out 375,000 days of fumigation in homes.
On the other hand, regarding the apparent shortage of medicines in public hospitals in the country, the minister reported that her management has decided to transfer part of the budget of the social health insurance Essalud, for 2,216 million soles (600 million dollars), for the acquisition of medicines and equipment, in order to supply first level care.
The ministry has also developed, through the General Communications Office, the information campaign “Make a stop (stop) dengue,” which provides recommendations and preventive measures for the population.