Investigating the role of vitamin D in the prevention and control of dengue virus vectors and related diseases: a systematic review study.

Dengue fever, caused by the dengue virus (DENV) and transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitos, remains a global health concern with no definitive treatment. Given the challenges in vaccine development and disease management, micronutrients such as vitamin D have emerged as potential adjunctive therapies because of their immunomodulatory properties. The effectiveness of vitamin D in the prevention and control of dengue fever was assessed in this systematic review by evaluating vitamin D's impact on immune responses, viral replication, and clinical outcomes. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, relevant studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies examining the association between vitamin D and DENV infection, disease severity, and immune modulation. Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicated that vitamin D supplementation reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, enhanced macrophage responses, and modulated toll-like receptor activity. Higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower viral replication and milder clinical manifestations of dengue fever. Vitamin D demonstrates potential as an adjunctive therapy for dengue fever by modulating immune responses and reducing disease severity. More clinical trials are required to validate its therapeutic efficacy and determine optimal supplementation strategies. Trial registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Review identifier: CRD42021231605.