Origin, tempo, and mode of the spread of DENV-4 Genotype IIB across the state of São Paulo, Brazil during the 2012-2013 outbreak

BACKGROUND Dengue virus type 4 (DENV-4) was first reported in Brazil in 1982 and since then no more cases were detected again in Brazil until 2010, when the virus was reintroduced. Over the following years, the virus spread to several Brazilian states and resulted in about 1,400,000 dengue cases, in 2013. The largest number of cases were documented in the Southeast macro-region. OBJECTIVES To determine the phylogeography of DENV-4 Genotype IIB strains isolated during the epidemics in 2012-2013 in São Paulo, Brazil, we aimed to contextualise the contribution of viruses sampled in different localities across the overall movement of DENV-4 in Brazil. METHODS Based on the envelope gene sequences retrieved from GenBank, we employed a Bayesian phylogeographic approach to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of DENV-4 Genotype IIB in São Paulo, Brazil. FINDINGS The dispersal dynamics of DENV-4 Genotype IIB in Brazil indicated Rio de Janeiro and Mato Grosso states as the most likely routes toward São Paulo before the 2012-2013 outbreak. Likewise, Guarujá and São José do Rio Preto facilitated viral spread and transmission to other localities in the South and Southeast macro-regions in Brazil. CONCLUSIONS The spread pattern of DENV-4 Genotype IIB strains across the country supports two independent introductions of the virus in São Paulo in a short period of time. Furthermore, São Paulo appears to have played a pivotal role in the dissemination of DENV-4 to other locations in Brazil.

Detección del virus del papiloma humano en Corrientes, Argentina: alta prevalencia de genotipo 58 y su filodinámica / Human papillomavirus detection in Corrientes, Argentina: High prevalence of type 58 and its phylodynamics

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has the highest mortality rate due to cervical cancer in Northeastern Argentina. The aim of this work was to detect and characterize HPV in samples from the Province of Corrientes, Argentina. HPV detection and typing was performed using PCR-RFLP on samples with different cervical lesions (n = 255). Seventeen viruses typified as HPV-58 were sequenced (E6 and E7 genes) and mutations were analyzed. HPV DNA was detected in 56.1 % of the cervical lesions (143/255). Twenty-two different HPV types were detected. The type most frequently found among the total number of samples and HPV-positive samples was HPV-16 (14.5 % and 25.9 %, respectively), followed by HPV-58 (8.2 %/14.7 %, respectively), which is also considered a high-risk viral type. Increased severity of the cytological status was associated with greater rates of HPV detection and, especially, with the detection of greater rates of high-risk types. In addition, the evolutionary dynamics of the alpha-9 species group and HPV-58 was studied. All HPV-58 viruses reported in this work belonged to lineage A, sublineage A2. The phylodynamic analysis indicated that diversification of main groups within lineage A might have accompanied or preceded human migrations across the globe. Given that the most prevalent viruses found belonged to high-risk HPV types, some concerns might arise about the extent of cross protection of the vaccines against the types not included in their design.

El virus del papiloma humano (Human papillomavirus [HPV]) tiene la mayor tasa de mortalidad por cáncer de cuello uterino en el noreste de Argentina. El objetivo de este trabajo fue detectar y caracterizar el HPV en muestras de la provincia de Corrientes, Argentina. La detección y la tipificación se realizó mediante PCR-RFLP en muestras con diferentes lesiones cervicales (n=255). Se secuenciaron 17 virus tipificados como HPV-58 (genes E6 y E7) y se analizaron sus mutaciones. Además, se estudió la dinámica evolutiva de los virus del grupo alfa-9 y, en particular, del HPV-58. Se detectó ADN viral en el 56,1% de las lesiones cervicales (143/255) y se detectaron 22 tipos del HPV. El tipo encontrado con mayor frecuencia entre el total de muestras y entre las HPV-positivas fue el HPV-16 (14,5%/25,9%, respectivamente), seguido por el HPV-58 (8,2%/14,7%, respectivamente), también considerado como de alto riesgo. El aumento de la gravedad de las lesiones se asoció a mayores tasas de detección del HPV y, en especial, con mayores tasas de detección de tipos de alto riesgo. Todos los HPV-58 encontrados pertenecieron al linaje A, sublinaje A2. El análisis filodinámico indicó que la diversificación de los grupos principales dentro del linaje A podría haber acompañado o precedido las migraciones humanas en todo el mundo. Dado que los virus más prevalentes pertenecieron a los tipos del HPV de alto riesgo, podrían surgir interrogantes sobre el alcance de la protección cruzada de las vacunas contra los tipos no incluidos en su diseño