Mumbai doctors to study why some dengue cases show severe complications

Mumbai city news: The researchers will collect blood samples of 200 dengue patients who developed complications in intensive care units. They will isolate all the proteins from the samples and compare it with proteins from blood samples of dengue patients who did not have to be hospitalised

Doctors in the city will soon start a study to understand why some dengue patients develop serious complications while others don’t.

The symptoms of dengue include abrupt and high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pains. (HT)

Dengue virus is transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquito. The same mosquitoes also transmit malaria parasite and zika virus.

The symptoms of dengue include abrupt and high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pains. “Even people who are vulnerable to developing diabetics or ones with cardiovascular disorders recover fast whereas others may develop complications,” said Dr Jayanthi Shastri, professor and head, BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central, who will lead the study. A part of the study will be carried out at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay’s biosciences and bioengineering department.

“We aim to identify reliable molecular signatures and protein biomarkers, which can show how critical the symptoms may get after people are infected,” she added.

The researchers will collect blood samples of 200 dengue patients who developed complications in intensive care units. They will isolate all the proteins from the samples and compare it with proteins from blood samples of dengue patients who did not have to be hospitalised.

This year, one death and 364 confirmed dengue cases were reported across the state till June 7, said officials from the state’s public health department.

Dr Om Srivastava, an infectious disease specialist, said proteomics (study of isolating and studying proteins) was the future of diagnosing infectious diseases. “It is a very important study. There are many immunological molecules which are regulated during an infectious disease. Using proteomics to understand how the disease is going to progress will become an important tool,” he said.