Inter- and intra-host sequence diversity reveal the emergence of viral variants during an overwintering epidemic caused by dengue virus serotype 2 in southern Taiwan.

ABSTRACT: Purifying selection during dengue viral infection has been suggested as the driving force of viral evolution and the higher complexity of the intra-host quasi-species is thought to offer an adaptive advantage for arboviruses as they cycle between arthropod and vertebrate hosts. However, very few studies have been performed to investigate the viral genetic changes within (intra-host) and between (inter-host) humans in a spatio-temporal scale. Viruses of different serotypes from various countries imported to Taiwan cause annual outbreaks. During 2001-2003, two consecutive outbreaks were caused by dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) and resulted in a larger-scale epidemic with more severe dengue cases in the following year. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the viruses from both events were simi

SUBMITTER: Ko HY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6191158 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature