A study conducted by scientists at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, mentioned that COVID antibodies have worsened the clinical course of dengue.
The report titled ‘SARS-CoV-2 antibodies cross-react and enhance dengue infection’ published on bioRxiv explored the impact of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies on dengue infection. It has been revealed that anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies acquired from natural infection in humans or through experimental immunisation in animals are found to be cross-reactive with DENV-2 and have the potential to enhance dengue infection through antibody-dependent enhancement.
The findings will also raise questions about SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in countries across the world where the infection is endemic.
Hyderabad saw rise in dengue cases
Recently, Hyderabad witnessed a rise in dengue cases. In August, Hyderabad alone reported 171 dengue cases, a substantial increase compared to the previous month when there were only 164 reported cases.
From January to the end of August, Telangana recorded a total of 2,972 cases of the viral infection. This is a sharp rise from the 961 cases reported up until the end of July. The majority of these cases, a total of 1,562, were concentrated in the Greater Hyderabad region.
Symptoms of the viral infection
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the following are the symptoms of dengue (the list is not exhaustive):
- High Fever (around 104°F)
- Headache
- Nausea, vomiting
- Bone, muscle, or joint pains
- Abdominal pain, etc.
To reduce the risk of the infection, individuals must take precautions. Some of them are:
- Cover water
- Use mosquito repellent
- Avoid water stagnation
- Use mosquito nets, etc.
