VIRTIGATION Dengue

New study inspired by VIRTIGATION proposes a new Dengue Lineage System

A new study involving VIRTIGATION partner EMWEB’s Genome Detective software proposes a groundbreaking new Dengue Lineage System. 

Article by Tiziana Centofanti from the VIRTIGATION project

Background and aims of the study

The study, published recently in the prestigious PLOS Biology journal, introduces a novel system for classifying and naming dengue virus (DENV) lineages. It thereby builds on advancements from the VIRTIGATION project to enhance the understanding and management of these lineages.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection, poses significant global health challenges. With globalization and climate change, understanding its spread and evolution is crucial. The new study proposes a system for classifying and naming dengue virus (DENV) lineages. EMWEB’s significant contribution, building on its recent VIRTIGATION research involving its Genome Detective software, focused on improving subtyping tools for viruses like ToBRFV and ToLCNDV. This new system, supported by EMWEB’s efforts, now offers a detailed, standardized way to analyze DENV diversity.

Enhanced DENV classification: methods, solutions, and their impact

DENV exists in four serotypes (DENV-2 to DENV-4), each further divided into genotypes. However, this classification lacks the detail needed for modern epidemiological tracking. The new system introduces major and minor lineages within genotypes (see Figure 1 from the publication). This is akin to adding finer branches to a family tree, thus revealing more about the virus’s diversity and spread.

With its Genome Detective software, VIRTIGATION partner EMWEB played a key role in developing a user-friendly tool that lets anyone quickly identify which lineage their Dengue virus samples belong to. This tool builds on advancements made for other viruses, like ToBRFV. The ToBRFV subtyping tool developed in VIRTIGATION is already live, allowing researchers to easily classify their samples. VIRTIGATION partners are also working on a similar tool for ToLCNDV, once the lineage definitions are finalized.

VIRTIGATION Dengue
The Genome Detective software of VIRTIGATION partner EMWEB © 2024 EMWEB

Conclusions and future perspectives

The design of the new dengue virus (DENV) lineage classification system is adaptable, and enables updates as needed. The system’s designation rules and thresholds, particularly for phylogenetic distance, will be reviewed by the study’s authors with more data to balance stability and diversity capture. The system integrates with existing DENV subtyping tools like Genome Detective, GLUE, and NextClade, promoting usability and avoiding the need for entirely new tools. EMWEB, responsible for the Genome Detective software component in the VIRTIGATION project, has played a crucial role in developing this system. Its open nature supports the development of additional tools for lineage assignment. Overall, this new classification system provides a more detailed and standardized method for analyzing DENV diversity, crucial for public health and research.

More info about EMWEB’s new study in PLOS Biology

The full version of the study in PLOS Biology titled ‘A new lineage nomenclature to aid genomic surveillance of dengue virus’, to which EMWEB has contributed, is available online here since September 16, 2024. The paper has been co-authored by two of EMWEB’s principal investigators in VIRTIGATION, Sara Cleemput and Wim Dumon. The datasets underlying EMWEB’s peer-reviewed, open access scientific publication is available here. Find out more about VIRTIGATION’s scientific publications on our website here.

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