Identification of molecular and immunological factors predisposing to severe dengue fever

Typical symptoms of dengue include sudden onset of fever accompanied by headache, muscle pains, rash, cough, vomiting and haemorrhagic manifestations. Hospitalisation may be required depending on signs of severity such as dehydration, bleeding or comorbidities. There is no specific treatment for dengue, and care is mainly supportive. To date, there is no validated way of identifying which patients will progress to severe disease, meaning that in endemic areas, health facilities are often overwhelmed with patients admitted for inpatient observation, costing millions of dollars to health systems. To address this issue, this project undertakes a comprehensive immunological and transcriptional analysis of individuals with mild versus severe dengue fever recruited at local hospitals in different regions of Indonesia and Malaysia. The project will uncover key mechanisms involved in progression towards severe disease after initial patient presentation.