Mumbai turns to genome sequencing to control rising dengue cases
dengue
There has been a significant rise in dengue cases in Mumbai, which has prompted the civic authorities in the west Indian city to resort to genome sequencing to identify the specific strain of the virus.
According to the data from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cited by The Indian Express, a whopping 4,384 dengue cases were reported between January 1 and October 22 this year. There was a significant uptick of 3,675 cases during Monsoon rains, which the coastal city witnesses a considerable amount of each year. The rise was seen between July 1 and October 22.
Just last year, the city had seen 746 dengue cases betweenJanuary and October. Before that, there were 876 cases between January and December 2021.
The BMC is now aiming to identify the specific dengue virus strain that may be behind the sudden surge in cases. The corporation will now conduct genome sequencing to zero in on the strain.
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Genome sequencing is an advanced scientific method that yields important information about behaviour of the virus.
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The BMC had previously conducted genome sequencing during the swine flu epidemic.
Genome sequencing yields information about genetic code in the RNA (ribonucleic acid). This enables detailed examination of virus properties.
Genome sequencing also gives information about the way a virus infects people. This comprehensive analysis will be carried out at BMC's Kasturba Hospital and it will involve analysis of samples of about 200 patients.
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There are four strains of dengue that cause infection. These are DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4. Each of these strains has separate levels of virulence.
“The implementation of genome sequencing will provide valuable insights into the prevalent strain among the Mumbai population and help identify the existing sub-variants, if any, within the virus — offering a deeper understanding of the outbreak,” said an official from BMC as quoted by The Indian Express.