Circulating Dengue Virus Serotypes In Kolkata And Adjacent Districts During 2022-2024

Background: Dengue Viral fever is a major cause of concern and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality especially in tropical and subtropical countries. These viruses can lead to various illnesses ranging from mild to more severe conditions. Materials and methods: A total of 1114 Dengue NS1 positive samples (482 hospitalized patients from IPGME&RSSKM hospital, 328 and 304 patients from South 24 pgs and Howrah district hospitals respectively) were collected from October 2022 to October 2024 for Dengue serotyping study. Results: Out of total 887 Dengue serotype detectable samples, 32 tested positives for DENV-1 (3.60%), 545 for DENV-2 (61.44%), 271 for DENV-3 (30.55%) and 4.39% (N=39) for DENV-4. As per our study, DENV-2 was major circulating stain from 2022 onwards up to 2024 followed by DENV-3 (30.55 %). DENV-1 (3.06%) and DENV-4 (4.39%) were mainly seen in the year 2024.We also observed that from June onwards in every year Dengue infection gradually increases and high peak was seen in the month of October and November in three consecutive years. Conclusion: For Dengue serotype detection, Real Time PCR is the gold standard method with high sensitivity and specificity. We can detect multiple serotypes in the single tube Multiplex Real Time PCR method in a very short period of time. Policymakers, physicians, and other healthcare professionals will benefit from this study to regulate vector-borne virus outbreaks and employ molecular techniques for early detection.