Ecology of Dengue Virus

Abstract

Dengue virus and its interactions with Aedes mosquito vectors and human hosts have garnered significant scientific interest over the past decade. Despite extensive research, many aspects of these interactions remain poorly understood, highlighting the need for further investigation to develop effective therapeutic and preventive strategies to reduce the spread of dengue virus and the prevalence of the disease. The key challenges underpinning the relevance of dengue virus studies include the insufficient current preventive measures, the limited efficacy of approved vaccines, the absence of antiviral therapies with proven clinical efficacy, the risk of complications, and other factors. The review provides a characterization of dengue virus virions, highlighting the four virus serotypes, mutation rates and genome evolution. Genotypic and serotypic variations, which are regularly identified through the study of regional viral circulation, have the potential to give rise to new dengue strains, which can cause subsequent epidemics. The review details the stages of the viral life cycle in vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Viral replication, transcription, and translation within cells of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts are examined, along with both typical and atypical routes of infection transmission. The ecology of A. aegypti and A. albopictus vectors, vector competence and the factors that reduce vector competence under natural conditions are discussed. Strategies for targeted intervention in the interactions between the pathogen, vector, and vertebrate host are examined. The most probable driver for the global expansion of the virus is the active migration of infected individuals. Research focused on identifying critical points in the protein interactions of the pathogen, vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, and exploring mechanisms to inhibit these interactions, appears promising for reducing the risk of dengue infection. The detection of imported cases of dengue fever in Russia underscores the need to implement measures for increasing public awareness regarding transmissible diseases and to minimize contact with potentially infected individuals when visiting tropical and subtropical regions.