Dengue: understanding the mechanisms that prevent the development of symptoms following infection

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur in Paris and the Institut Pasteur in Cambodia, in collaboration with teams from the CNRS and Inria, have demonstrated that asymptomatic dengue infection in children is associated with activation of the immune system via control mechanisms, resulting in the elimination of viral infection without excessive immune activation. This paper, published in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine on August 30, 2017, represents an important step in improving understanding of the role played by immunity in dengue viral infection. The findings should pave the way for the development of new vaccine strategies to prevent this disease.

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Photo: Jars serving as a shelter for mosquito larvae of the genus Aedes, vectors of dengue fever. Surroundings of Phnom-Penh, Cambodia.