Collaborative Preprint on First Molecular Analysis of Dengue Virus in Ethiopia Now Available!
Author: Adugna Abera
In 2023, I was awarded a fellowship that enabled me to spend two weeks at the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) at Stellenbosch University in South Africa to gain experience in whole genome sequencing (WGS) and epidemic response as part of CLIMADE consortium (https://climade.health/). As part of my PhD study, I collected blood samples from acute febrile illnesses patients at three selected hospital-based sentinel sites in Ethiopia. After signing a material transfer agreement, the CERI team, and KRISP of the CLIMADE consortium supported me to establish DENV genomic surveillance in Ethiopia by providing training, protocols, reagents and consumables for sequencing.
Here we report for the first time the serotype and whole genome genotype of dengue virus circulation in Ethiopia. We detected dengue virus 1 (DENV1) and DENV3 serotypes. Phylogenetic analysis identified one transmission cluster of DENV1 (genotype III major lineage A), and two clusters of DENV3 (genotype III major lineage B). The first cluster showed a close evolutionary relationship to a 2023 Italian outbreak and the second cluster to Indian isolates. These findings highlight the use for comprehensive molecular disease surveillance to understand transmission dynamics of emerging outbreaks. It is concluded that regular active surveillance through connected sentinel sites as well as at ports of entry can improve response time to outbreaks and reduce the likelihood of dengue establishment. This is exactly along the lines of EpiGen Ethiopia’s mission.
This is a first manuscript resulting from scientific collaboration between GenEpi members EpiGen (Ethiopia) and GenPath (South Africa). The GenEpi Network is a collaboration between EDCTP3 and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://www.genepi-network.org/). For more information, please read the pre-print released online at https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.10.24310195v1.