Can the Dengue Virus Be Eradicated? Insights from AIIMS Research

Scientists at AIIMS, New Delhi, have uncovered critical details about how the dengue virus harms the body and interacts with its defense system, shedding light on the possibility of stopping this virus completely. Unlike ordinary fever-causing viruses, dengue cleverly weakens the body's immune defenses through a complex internal battle.

The research, published in the Journal of Medical Virology, shows that the dengue virus exploits a special protein called RBMX present in human cells to replicate and grow. Opposing this, the body produces a protective molecule named miR-133a, which inhibits RBMX and viral growth. During the initial hours of infection, the dengue virus replicates while simultaneously suppressing miR-133a, tipping the balance in its favor.

However, AIIMS researchers demonstrated that artificially increasing the levels of miR-133a in infected cells significantly hindered the virus's ability to reproduce. Moreover, when RBMX was blocked, the virus struggled to grow, indicating that strengthening the body's natural defenses or targeting key proteins essential for viral replication could be a promising treatment strategy.

Dr. Bhupendra Verma, lead scientist of this study, describes this interaction as a "tug of war" inside the cells—between the virus trying to proliferate and the body attempting to stop it. Enhancing miR-133a or inhibiting RBMX could therefore potentially prevent the dengue virus from causing severe disease.

While these findings open the door to developing medicines that can halt the virus early, experts caution that this will take time. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue; care is largely supportive after symptoms appear. Nonetheless, this groundbreaking research provides hope that future therapies might not only treat but possibly eradicate dengue virus infections by empowering the body’s natural defenses.

In summary, eradicating dengue is a challenging goal but with continued focus on studies like this, it may one day be possible to develop effective drugs that stop the virus's replication and ultimately eliminate it from human populations.