Exploring the Contrasts and Similarities of Dengue and SARS-CoV-2 Infections During the COVID-19 Era

Abstract

Dengue virus infection is prevalent in tropical regions, especially during the rainy season. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, posing a risk to approximately half of the global population and resulting in an estimated 100–400 million infections annually with around 7500 deaths [1]. However, this may be an underestimation [1]. In contrast, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has impacted over 750 million individuals worldwide (WHO) since 2019, with a mortality rate close to 1% [2]. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there was a surge in dengue and severe dengue cases in high-risk areas, leading to various hypotheses. Two main hypotheses have been proposed to explain the potential increase in severe dengue cases following SARS-CoV-2 infection [3–5]. One is related to viral protein similarities and the antibodies generated to possible common epitopes, which will increase viral immunopathology, especially in dengue infection. The other assumption refers to immune deficiency after the viral infection that predisposes new viral infections. However, the reported data have yielded contradictory findings [5,6], potentially attributed to variations in experimental trials, screenings, and affected populations. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively examine the viral physiopathology in dengue and SARS-CoV-2 infections, identifying their similarities, differences, and the potential impact of co-infection or previous infection on disease resolution.