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infects between 50-100 million people every year and kills 20,000 mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Latin America, but expanding rapidly including parts of Europe. -WHO

caused by Dengue virus (DENV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus (+) ssRNA from family Flaviviridae Causes self-limited dengue fever (DF) to a life-threatening syndrome called Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) or Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS)

4 antigenically different serotypes: DENV-1 DENV-2 DENV-3 DENV-4

Bite of infected female Aedes mosquitoes Aedes aegypti

May also transmit transovarially (via the eggs)

Incubation: 8 to 10 days

High fever Severe headache Eye pain Joint/muscle/bone pain Rash Mild bleeding Low WBC count

ONSET SYMPTOMS
Severe abdominal pain/persistent vomiting Red spots/patches on the skin Bleeding nose or gums Black, tarry stools Drowsiness Clammy skin

MANNOSE-BINDING LECTIN
-involved in targeting dengue viruses for destruction -recognizes sugar molecules present on the outsides of many different kinds of viruses and bacteria. When it finds these sugars, MBL activates the complement system, which targets foreign materials in the body for destruction in any of a number of cruel ways.

MANNOSE-BINDING LECTIN
plays a role in getting rid of dengue viruses. Some people have high levels of MBL while some people have low levels and the authors showed that blood samples with high levels of MBL neutralized dengue more efficiently than samples with lower levels of MBL

Worlds first Dengue Vaccine Beats 3 strains Developed by French drugmake Sanofi, S.A. May reach market in 2015 Generated an antibody response for all 4 dengue virus types but evidence of protection was only demonstrated against three of the four strains circulating in Thailand

WHOS VISION TO COMBAT DENGUE FEVER BY 2020

The WHO has recently renewed their commitment to combat dengue fever, with the immediate aim of dengue fever vector control. The longer-term goals of cutting dengue cases by 25% and halving deaths by 2020 will be achieved through continued support and heightened focus on vector control, research on medicines and vaccines, and improved diagnostics. The publication Accelerating work to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases A roadmap for implementation, released in January 2012, outlines new objectives and deadlines for the successful control of dengue fever.