Infectious Disease · Public Health · 1 h ago
Dengue surveillance in Ceará documents DENV-3 reintroduction
A retrospective epidemiologic and genomic study examined dengue transmission in Ceará, Brazil, from 2010 to 2025. It found recurring epidemics, shifts in dominant serotypes, and DENV-3 genomes detected again in the state after no local detections since 2015.
- Ceará recorded 131,961 confirmed cases from 2010 to 2025.
- Epidemic peaks in Ceará typically occurred in May.
- DENV-3 was detected again after no local detections since 2015.
- Genomic findings support ongoing serotype and lineage surveillance.
Researchers analyzed national laboratory-confirmed dengue data from January 2010 to January 2025 and Ceará state surveillance data from July 2014 to June 2025. They also sequenced 243 DENV-positive samples collected in Ceará during February 2024–July 2025; 218 yielded complete or partial genomes. The study assessed incidence, seasonality, demographics, serotypes and viral lineages.
Brazil recorded 1,657,046 laboratory-confirmed cases during the study period, including 131,961 in Ceará. Ceará epidemics generally peaked in May, about a month later than the national pattern, and often had higher incidence and test positivity. DENV-1 predominated in Ceará during 2014–2019 and 2023–2025; DENV-2 nearly replaced other serotypes in 2021–2022. Genomic analysis identified DENV-3 lineage III_B3.2, consistent with reintroduction after no local detections since 2015. The 2024–2025 epidemic was mainly associated with DENV-1 lineage V_E1.
The findings provide an epidemiologic baseline for evaluating dengue vaccines after licensure and document serotype and lineage changes relevant to surveillance. The authors note that healthcare-seeking patterns may have led to undercounting, including asymptomatic infections; the study does not establish that DENV-3 reintroduction will cause more severe disease. The article is an early release and is not yet the final version.
In practice
For clinicians and public-health teams in Ceará, the study documents recurring dengue activity, a seasonal peak typically in May, and renewed detection of DENV-3 after no local detections since 2015. These findings support the relevance of continued local surveillance, but they do not show that the reintroduction will lead to more severe disease or establish a change in clinical management. The analysis is retrospective, depends on reported and laboratory-confirmed cases, and may miss infections, including asymptomatic cases.
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Emerging Infectious Diseases: Transmission Dynamics of Dengue Virus, Ceará State, Brazil, 2010–2025 ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.