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Dengue viral RNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells are associated with disease severity and preexisting dengue immune status
Open Access Publications by UMass Chan Authors
  • Anon Srikiatkhachorn, University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Sineewanlaya Wichit, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences
  • Robert V. Gibbons, Armed Forces Research Institute for Medical Sciences
  • Sharone Green, University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Daniel H. Libraty, University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Timothy P. Endy, Armed Forces Research Institute for Medical Sciences
  • Francis A. Ennis, University of Massachusetts Medical School
  • Siripen Kalayanarooj, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health
  • Alan L. Rothman, University of Rhode Island
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology
Publication Date
2012-12-19
Document Type
Article
Subjects
Dengue Virus; RNA; Leukocytes, Mononuclear
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Infection with dengue viruses (DENV) causes a wide range of manifestations from asymptomatic infection to a febrile illness called dengue fever (DF), to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). The in vivo targets of DENV and the relation between the viral burden in these cells and disease severity are not known.

METHOD: The levels of positive and negative strand viral RNA in peripheral blood monocytes, T/NK cells, and B cells and in plasma of DF and DHF cases were measured by quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTS: Positive strand viral RNA was detected in monocytes, T/NK cells and B cells with the highest amounts found in B cells. Viral RNA levels in CD14+ cells and plasma were significantly higher in DHF compared to DF, and in cases with a secondary infection compared to those undergoing a primary infection. The distribution of viral RNA among cell subpopulations was similar in DF and DHF cases. Small amounts of negative strand RNA were found in a few cases only. The severity of plasma leakage correlated with viral RNA levels in plasma and in CD14+ cells.

CONCLUSIONS: B cells were the principal cells containing DENV RNA in peripheral blood, but overall there was little active DENV RNA replication detectable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Secondary infection and DHF were associated with higher viral burden in PBMC populations, especially CD14+ monocytes, suggesting that viral infection of these cells may be involved in disease pathogenesis.

Rights and Permissions

This is an open-access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.

DOI of Published Version
10.1371/journal.pone.0051335
Source
PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51335. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051335. Epub 2012 Dec 19. Link to article on publisher's site
Related Resources
Link to Article in PubMed
PubMed ID
23284680
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Citation Information
Anon Srikiatkhachorn, Sineewanlaya Wichit, Robert V. Gibbons, Sharone Green, et al.. "Dengue viral RNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells are associated with disease severity and preexisting dengue immune status" Vol. 7 Iss. 12 (2012) ISSN: 1932-6203 (Linking)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/alan_rothman/28/