India’s dengue burden grows more complex as multiple virus strains circulate together, study finds
A nationwide study by the ICMR reveals that all four dengue virus serotypes are circulating simultaneously in India, leading to increased cases of severe disease. Researchers found that concurrent infections with multiple strains significantly worsen patient outcomes.
Why it matters
The emergence of hyper-endemic dengue poses a major public health challenge and complicates future vaccination strategies.
India may be entering a more perilous phase in its dengue epidemic, with multiple strains of the virus now circulating simultaneously across much of the country, raising concerns over an increased risk of severe disease, and posing fresh challenges for the rollout of future dengue vaccination programmes.
A two-year nationwide surveillance study by the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) network found that all four dengue virus serotypes are circulating together in several parts of the country, with nearly one in 14 patients infected with more than one serotype at the same time.
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