Introduction

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. About half of the world's population is now at risk of dengue with an estimated 100–400 million infections occurring each year. Dengue virus (DENV) has four genetically distinct serotypes (DENV-1, -2, -3, and -4). It is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. While many dengue infections are asymptomatic or produce only mild illness, the virus can occasionally cause more severe cases, and even death.

The incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades, with cases reported to WHO increasing from 505 430 cases in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019. A vast majority of cases are asymptomatic or mild and self-managed, and hence the actual numbers of dengue cases are under-reported. Many cases are also misdiagnosed as other febrile illnesses. 

The highest number of dengue cases was recorded in 2023, affecting over 80 countries in all regions of WHO. Since the beginning of 2023 ongoing transmission, combined with an unexpected spike in dengue cases, resulted in a historic high of over 6.5 million cases and more than 7300 dengue-related deaths reported.

This kit is designed with specific primers and probes targeting the conserved region of DENV, generating fluorescence signals on a constant temperature nucleic acid amplification instrument. By employing POCT detection, it realizes qualitative and genotypic identification of DENV at the nucleic acid level.