Emergence of dengue virus serotype 2 in Mauritania and molecular characterization of its circulation in West Africa

The number of sporadic and epidemic dengue fever cases have reportedly been increasing in recent years in some West African countries, such as Senegal and Mali. The first epidemic of laboratory-confirmed dengue occurred in Nouakchott, the capital city of Mauritania situated in the Saharan desert, in 2014. On-site diagnosis of dengue fever was established using a rapid diagnostic test for dengue. In parallel, the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the city was confirmed. The initial diagnosis was confirmed by RT-PCR, which showed that all samples from the 2014 dengue epidemic in Nouakchott were dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2). The whole genome or envelope protein gene of these strains, together with other DENV-2 strains obtained from travelers returning from West African countries to France between 2016 and 2019 (including two Mauritanian strains in 2017 and 2018), were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis suggested a recent emergence of an epidemic strain from the cosmopolitan genotype belonging to West African cosmopolitan lineage II, which is genetically distinct from African sylvatic genotype. The origin of this DENV-2 lineage is still unknown, but our data seem to suggest a recent and rapid dispersion of the epidemic strain throughout the region. More complete genome sequences of West African DENV-2 are required for a better understanding of the dynamics of its circulation. Arboviral surveillance and outbreak forecasting are urgently needed in West Africa.

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Genetic characterization of dengue virus serotype 2 isolated from dengue fever outbreaks in eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar, India

Journal of Medical Virology ◽

10.1002/jmv.26239 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hirawati Deval ◽

Sthita P. Behera ◽

Awdhesh Agrawal ◽

Rajeev Singh ◽

Brijranjan Misra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dengue Virus ◽

Dengue Fever ◽

Genetic Characterization ◽

Uttar Pradesh ◽

Virus Serotype ◽

Eastern Uttar Pradesh ◽

Dengue Virus Serotype 2

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Genome Sequence of a Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Strain Identified during the 2019 Outbreak in Bangladesh

Microbiology Resource Announcements ◽

10.1128/mra.01246-20 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Roly Malaker ◽

Mohammad S. I. Sajib ◽

Apurba R. Malaker ◽

Hafizur Rahman ◽

Yogesh Hooda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dengue Virus ◽

Dengue Fever ◽

Genome Sequence ◽

Complete Genome Sequence ◽

Complete Genome ◽

Virus Serotype ◽

Dengue Virus Serotype 2

ABSTRACT A nearly complete genome sequence of a dengue virus serotype 2 strain detected in the serum of a patient in 2019 during the largest outbreak of dengue fever in Bangladesh is reported.

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The Coin of the African Realm

10.23943/princeton/9780691164137.003.0007 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Jeffrey Herbst

Keyword(s):

Twentieth Century ◽

West Africa ◽

West African ◽

Regional Economies ◽

African Countries ◽

New Strategies

This chapter examines the politics of the currency in West Africa from the beginning of the twentieth century. A public series of debates over the nature of the currency occurred in West Africa during both the colonial and independence periods. Since 1983, West African countries have been pioneers in Africa in developing new strategies to combat overvaluation of the currency and reduce the control of government over the currency supply. The chapter charts the evolution of West African currencies as boundaries and explores their relationship to state consolidation. It shows that leaders in African capitals managed to make the units they ruled increasingly distinct from the international and regional economies, but the greater salience of the currency did not end up promoting state consolidation. Rather, winning the ability to determine the value of the currency led to a series of disastrous decisions that severely weakened the states themselves.

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Micafungin Inhibits Dengue Virus Infection through the Disruption of Virus Binding, Entry, and Stability

Pharmaceuticals ◽

10.3390/ph14040338 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 338

Author(s):

Yen-Chen Chen ◽

Jeng-Wei Lu ◽

Chia-Tsui Yeh ◽

Te-Yu Lin ◽

Feng-Cheng Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dengue Virus ◽

Dengue Fever ◽

Early Stage ◽

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Enterovirus 71 ◽

Denv Infection ◽

Immunofluorescence Assay ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Virus Binding ◽

Virus Serotype

Dengue fever is an arbovirus disease caused by infection with the dengue virus (DENV). Half of the world’s population lives under the threat of dengue fever, however, researchers have yet to develop any drugs that are clinically applicable to this infection. Micafungin is a member of the echinocandins family of anti-fungal drugs, capable of blocking the synthesis of β-1,3-D-glucan in the walls of fungal cells. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Micafungin against infections of enterovirus 71 (EV71) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). This is the first study demonstrating the effectiveness of micafungin in inhibiting the cytopathic effects of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) in a dose-dependent manner. Time-of-addition assays verified the inhibitory effects of micafungin in pre-treated, co-treated, and full-treatment groups. Binding and entry assays also demonstrated the effectiveness of micafungin in the early stage of DENV-2 infection. The virucidal efficacy of micafungin appears to lie in its ability to destroy the virion. Molecular docking assays revealed the binding of micafungin to the envelope protein of DENV-2, thereby revealing the mechanism by which micafungin affects the early stage of DENV infection and the stability of DENV. Two other micafungin analogs, caspofungin and anidulafungin, were also shown to have the antiviral effects on DENV-2. Finally, immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) confirmed the broad anti-DENV ability of micafungin against dengue virus serotypes 1, 3, and 4 (DENV-1, DENV-3, and DENV-4). Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential of micafungin and its analogs as candidates for the development of broad-spectrum treatments for DENV infection.

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Dengue Virus Serotype-2 Interferes with the Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps

Intervirology ◽

10.1159/000440723 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 58 (4) ◽

pp. 250-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Maria Maximina B. Moreno-Altamirano ◽

Oscar Rodríguez-Espinosa ◽

Oscar Rojas-Espinosa ◽

Bernardo Pliego-Rivero ◽

Francisco J. Sánchez-García

Keyword(s):

Dengue Virus ◽

Neutrophil Extracellular Traps ◽

Extracellular Traps ◽

Virus Serotype ◽

Dengue Virus Serotype 2

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Challenging Popularized Narratives of Immigrant Youth From West Africa: Examining Social Processes of Navigating Identities and Engaging Civically

Review of Research in Education ◽

10.3102/0091732x16689047 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 279-310 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Vaughn W. M. Watson ◽

Michelle G. Knight-Manuel

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Immigrant Youth ◽

The United States ◽

Social Processes ◽

Research Literature ◽

West African ◽

Learning Needs ◽

African Countries ◽

Media Narratives

Given polarizing popular-media narratives of immigrant youth from West African countries, we construct an interdisciplinary framework engaging a Sankofan approach to analyze education research literature on social processes of navigating identities and engaging civically across immigrant youth’s heritage practices and Indigenous knowledges. In examining social processes, we disrupt three areas of inequalities affecting educational experiences of immigrant youth: (a) homogenizing notions of a monolithic West Africa and immigrant youth’s West African countries, (b) deficit understandings of identities and the heterogeneity of Black immigrant youth from West African countries living in the United States, and (c) singular views of youth’s civic engagement. We provide implications for researchers, policymakers, and educators to better meet youth’s teaching and learning needs.

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Impact of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Strain Diversity on Serological Immune Responses to Dengue

ACS Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00185 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (12) ◽

pp. 1705-1717 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sarah L. Keasey ◽

Jessica L. Smith ◽

Stefan Fernandez ◽

Anna P. Durbin ◽

Bryan M. Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Responses ◽

Dengue Virus ◽

Strain Diversity ◽

Virus Serotype ◽

Dengue Virus Serotype 2

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Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of cerebral malaria imported in Albania

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.6321 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (02) ◽

pp. 190-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Arben Ndreu ◽

Diana Hajdari ◽

Anduena Ndoni ◽

Klodiana Shkurti ◽

Dhimiter Kraja ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasmodium Falciparum ◽

Case Report ◽

West Africa ◽

Cerebral Malaria ◽

Early Treatment ◽

West African ◽

First Episode ◽

African Countries ◽

Disease Episode

This is a case-report of two patients with cerebral malaria (CM) imported from West-African countries. Notably, this form of malaria was developed as a second disease episode, while the first episode was experienced in West Africa. These findings suggest that the second episode of malaria was caused by a different strain of Plasmodium falciparum as compared to the first one. They are the first cerebral malaria cases imported in Albania after the eradication and absence of Plasmodium for five decades. Early treatment of cerebral malaria is decisive on the duration of coma and disease’s outcome.

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