The Dengue Virus and Possibilities of Antiviral Treatment

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Introduction

Transmission electron micrograph of Dengue virus (the circular structures) taken by Frederick Murphy, Cynthia Goldsmith, USCDCP.


By Nicholas Vitale

The dengue virus is a mosquito borne RNA positive virus of the Flavivirus genus that causes dengue fever. This illness affects about 100 million individuals a year across the globe, is extremely prevalent in many underdeveloped tropical areas, and there is no known antiviral treatment for the virus. Due to the lack of treatment, the affected areas are forced to try to control the populations of mosquitoes that transmit the virus, which can be challenging. Due to the vast amount of people that this potentially fatal virus affects there has been a large amount of research in recent years focusing on the mode of the viral action and the different ways to fight it. Some research groups have had some success in stopping the viral action of dengue. For example, the Talarico et al. group had success in fighting the dengue virus using the antiviral activity of sulfated polysaccharides, but the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the serotype of the virus (of which there are 5). Clearly the viral activity of dengue is complex and not completely understood, but there are still many other possibilities for treatment of this illness.

History of Dengue Virus

Map of the spread of the Dengue virus from Messina et al.

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Section 2

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Section 3

Images of the medicinal plants proposed to have inhibitory effects on the pathogenic action of Dengue virus by Frederico et al.. Vernonia cinerea (right) and Tridax procumbers (left).

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Section 4

Conclusion

References



Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2018, Kenyon College.