Immune response to dengue infection

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Immune response to dengue infection

An infected person experiences the acute symptoms of dengue when there is a high level of the virus in the bloodstream. As the immune response fights the dengue infection, the person’s B cells begin producing IgM and IgG antibodies that are released in the blood and lymph fluid, where they recognize and neutralize the dengue virus and viral molecules such as the dengue NS1 protein. The immune response eliminates the virus, leading to recovery.

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Host Response to the Dengue Virus

Dengue viral infections can result in a range of symptoms. Some people show no symptoms or only have mild signs of the disease. Other people develop severe complications. How does the body respond to a dengue infection? What factors put some people at a greater risk of severe dengue illnesses than other people? The human body's immune system is the primary defense against the dengue virus. When someone is infected with dengue, the body's innate and adaptive immune responses work together to fight the virus. B cells from the immune system produce antibodies that recognize and neutralize dengue viral particles, and cytotoxic T cells recognize and kill cells that are infected with the virus. People who are infected a subsequent time with a different type of the dengue virus may experience something called "antibody-dependent enhancement" in which the body's immune response actually makes the clinical symptoms of dengue worse and increases a person's risk of developing severe dengue.