Ngwe Tun Mya Myat, John Jecelyn Leaslie, Nabeshima Takeshi, Manah Abdul Marsudi, Takamatsu Yuki, Urano Takeshi, Morita Kouichi, Ahmed Kamruddin
Department of Tropical Viral Vaccine Development, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
IJID Reg. 2025 Jul 18;16:100712. doi: 10.1016/j.ijregi.2025.100712. eCollection 2025 Sep.
Limited information is available on the distribution of dengue virus (DENV) serotypes and genotypes in Borneo, particularly, in Sabah, because most studies have focused on Peninsular Malaysia. This study aimed to investigate the serologic and molecular epidemiologic characteristics of DENV in patients from Sabah.
Serum samples were collected from febrile patients in Kota Kinabalu and Lahad Datu between 2019 and 2020 at the Kota Kinabalu Public Health Laboratory. We performed virus isolation, serological testing, viremia quantification, and complete genome sequencing.
Of 188 serum samples, 89 tested positive for DENV by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction: 20 DENV-1, 46 DENV-2, 20 DENV-3, and 1 DENV-4. A total of 38 viruses were successfully isolated. The isolates belonged to DENV-1 (genotypes I and IV), DENV-2 (cosmopolitan genotype) and DENV-3 (genotypes I and III). The phylogenetic analysis revealed close relationships with strains from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. DENV-2 was the predominant serotype, whereas the highest viremia levels were observed in patients infected with DENV-3.
To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first detailed phylogenetic and complete genome analysis of DENV in Sabah. Continued molecular surveillance is essential to enhance our understanding of dengue transmission and support effective control strategies.
关于登革热病毒（DENV）血清型和基因型在婆罗洲，特别是在沙巴州的分布情况，目前可用信息有限，因为大多数研究都集中在马来西亚半岛。本研究旨在调查沙巴州患者中DENV的血清学和分子流行病学特征。
2019年至2020年期间，在哥打基纳巴卢公共卫生实验室从哥打基纳巴卢和拉哈都的发热患者中采集血清样本。我们进行了病毒分离、血清学检测、病毒血症定量和全基因组测序。
在188份血清样本中，89份通过定量逆转录-聚合酶链反应检测DENV呈阳性：20份为DENV-1，46份为DENV-2，20份为DENV-3，1份为DENV-4。共成功分离出38株病毒。分离株属于DENV-1（基因型I和IV）、DENV-2（泛基因型）和DENV-3（基因型I和III）。系统发育分析显示与来自马来西亚、印度尼西亚和菲律宾的毒株关系密切。DENV-2是主要血清型，而感染DENV-3的患者病毒血症水平最高。
据我们所知，本研究首次对沙巴州的DENV进行了详细的系统发育和全基因组分析。持续的分子监测对于增进我们对登革热传播情况的了解并支持有效的控制策略至关重要。
