New genotype invasion of dengue virus serotype 1 drove massive outbreak in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Jing Qinlong , Wu Sean , He Zhengjian , Yuan Lihong , Ma Mengmeng , Bai Zhijun , Jiang Liyun , Marshall John , Lu Jiahai , Yang Zhicong 
Published: July 2019

Background

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that has caused major health problems. Variations in dengue virus (DENV) genes are important features of epidemic outbreaks. However, the associations of DENV genes with epidemic scale have not been extensively examined. Here, we assessed new genotype invasion of DENV-1 isolated from Guangzhou in China to evaluate associations with epidemic outbreaks.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used DENV-1 strains isolated from sera of dengue cases from 2002 to 2016 in Guangzhou for complete genome sequencing. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was constructed to elucidate the genotype characteristics and determine if new genotype invasion correlated with major outbreaks. In our study, a new genotype invasion event was observed during each significant outbreak period in 2002-2003, 2006-2007 and 2013-2014. Genotype II was the main epidemic genotype in 2003 and before. Invasion of genotype I in 2006 caused an unusual outbreak with 765 cases (relative risk (RR)=16.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) =12.41-21.25). At the middle and late stages of the 2013 outbreak, genotype III was introduced to Guangzhou as a new genotype invasion responsible for 37340 cases with RR 541.73 (95%CI=417.78-702.45), after which genotypes I and III began co-circulating. Base mutations occurred after new genotype invasion, and the gene sequence of NS3 protein had the lowest average similarity ratio (99.82%), followed by the gene sequence of E protein (99.86%), as compared to the 2013 strain.

Conclusions/Significance

Genotype replacement and co-circulation of multiple DENV-1 genotypes were observed. New genotype invasion was highly correlated with local unusual outbreaks. In addition to DENV-1 genotype I in the unprecedented outbreak in 2014, new genotype invasion by DENV-1 genotype III occurred in Guangzhou.

Author Summary

New genotype invasion of dengue virus highly correlates with the massive outbreaks. In this study, we examined the association of the genotype of dengue virus serorype 1 (DENV-1) from human cases through complete genome sequencing with outbreak scale during 2002 and 2016 in Guangzhou, China. It was observed that genotype replacement and co-circulation of multiple genotypes occurred. Most importantly, it indicated that new genotype invasion was highly related with local unusual outbreaks in major outbreak periods in 2002-2003, 2006-2007 and 2013-2014. DENV-1 genotype II was the main epidemic genotype in 2003 and before. Invasion of genotype I in 2006 caused an unusual outbreak with 765 cases reported. In addition to genotype I circulation, new genotype invasion by genotype III was the key determinant for the 2014 massive outbreak reaching the highest number of cases with 37340. Furthermore, base mutations appeared after genotype III invasion, and the gene sequence of NS3 protein had the lowest average similarity ratio, followed by the gene sequence of E protein, as compared to the 2013 strain.