Rapid genotyping protocol to improve dengue virus serotype 2 survey in Lao PDR.

Dengue fever is one of the major public health problems in Lao PDR. Over the last decade, dengue virus (DENV) epidemics were characterized by a novel predominant serotype accompanied by at least two other serotypes. Since 2008, DENV-2 circulated at a low level in Lao PDR but its epidemiologic profile changed at the end of 2018. Indeed, the number of confirmed DENV-2 cases suddenly increased in October 2018 and DENV-2 became predominant at the country level in early 2019. We developed a Genotype Screening Protocol (GSP) to determine the origin(s) of the Lao DENV-2 and study their genetic polymorphism. With a good correlation with full envelope gene sequencing data, this molecular epidemiology tool evidence the co-circulation of two highly polymorphic DENV-2 genotypes, i.e. Asian I and Cosmopolitan genotypes, over the last five years, suggesting multiple introductions of DENV-2 in the country. GSP approach provides relevant first line information that may help countries with limited laboratory resources to reinforce their capabilities to DENV-2 and to follow the epidemics progresses and assess situations at the regional level.