Him summer 2023/2024 was marked by the largest dengue epidemic ever recorded in Argentina: 583,297 cases have been confirmed and 419 deaths recorded. The disease was present year-round and did not disappear during the winter, as is the case in the provinces of Chaco and Formosa, which already have indigenous circulation of the virus that causes the disease.There are now eight jurisdictions in the country in which indigenous cases of dengue have been recorded (i.e.without there being any travel that could explain the infection): City of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Tucumán, Salta, Santa Fe, Province of Buenos Aires (in La matanza), Entre Ríos and Mendoza.
Throughout the American continent, and according to data from Pan American Health Organization (OPS), 2023 was the year with “the highest past report of dengue cases in the region, with more than 4.1 million new infections. These figures exceed those of 2019, in which more than 3.1 million cases were recorded, including 28,203 severe cases and 1,823 deaths. As of September 9,more than 11.7 million cases of dengue have been reported in the Americas, more than double the number recorded in 2023. “All four serotypes of dengue virus are currently circulating in the region, which increases the risk of disease serious – warns a document from the health organization -. the Southern Cone has recorded a meaningful growth in cases, with increases of more than 250% compared to the same period last year”.There were 7,399 deaths from dengue.
It is in this context that the National Drug, Food, and Medical Technology Management (ANMAT) approved the ELISA NS1 test from the Detect-AR Dengue kithim first national antigen test for the diagnosis of the disease. Developed in Molecular Virology Laboratory who directs the Andrea Gamarnik, CONICET researcher in it Leloir Institutethe new test is intended for clinical analysis laboratories, to be used by trained personnel. It will be produced and marketed by Lemos laboratory and one of the main objectives is to resolve supply shortages in the face of a possible new health crisis.
“Before we started working on this progress, we conducted a survey among specialists in clinical testing laboratories to understand what the urgent needs were regarding the diagnosis of dengue, and the response was overwhelming. must be able to detect the viral NS1 antigen -explains andrea Gamarnik-. There are two main methods for diagnosing dengue: one detects the presence of the virus’ proteins in the blood; the other, to viral RNA through molecular techniques such as PCR. “Both procedures are complementary and provide useful data.”
Jorge CarradoriTechnical Director of the Lemos Laboratory underlines that “the kit whose commercial name registered with ANMAT is Detect-AR Dengue TEST de ELISA NS1, is for professional use only in diagnostics for in vitro use by healthcare professionals, in particular in clinical analysis laboratories. It is indeed not for the general public, thus, It will not be sold in pharmacies. The kit will soon be available throughout the country. We are strengthening its production to supply it to the entire scientific community that requests it in our country and for export.
The kit allows you to establish infection by any of the four serotypes of the virus identifying the viral protein NS1 in patients in the acute phase of the disease. The result is obtained in three hours and up to 92 samples can be processed together.
Garmarnik underlines: “In our country,tests with similar characteristics to the dengue Detect-AR are imported,which is what we developed at CONICET. The advantage of having a nationally produced kit is this It ensures the availability of reagents in the country and at affordable prices.. Give it to us independence for an input required by the health system which could be in short supply when we need it most”. Another advantage of the Argentine
News: Are there situations in which the test can give false positives or negatives?
Andrea Gamarnik: The performance of the kit was studied with many positive and negative samples and this analysis yielded a 98% sensitivity. (which evaluates whether there are false negatives) and a specificity of 99% (which evaluates whether there are false positives). We are very satisfied with this performance and it is comparable to the best imported kits used in our country.
News: The number of people who have dengue but are asymptomaticWhat should be taken into account when indicating tests?
Gamarnik: Dengue infections occur without symptoms in about 75% of cases and then go unnoticed, without diagnosis. The kit we have developed is capable of detecting the presence of a viral protein in samples from people who have the infection symptomatically or asymptoticly. So, healthcare professionals indicate testing against the appearance of symptoms. The test can detect the infection over a period that can extend up to approximately 10 days from the onset of symptoms.
Los symptoms dengue fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, but in some situations dengue infections can cause severe bleeding. In these situations, a early diagnosis It is essential so that healthcare professionals can properly manage the case. Also, early diagnosis of dengue infection allows you to take preventative measures that help stop the spread of an epidemic. “we remind you that the infection is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito (l Aedes aegizi), which acquires the virus by biting an already infected person. Preventing contact of infected people with mosquitoes is essential to control the spread of an epidemic”, adds the researcher.
Experience
Both Andrea Gamarnik and his team of researchers and the Lemos Laboratory have done so previous experiences that have been seen enhanced during the Covid-19 pandemic. “During the pandemic we form multidisciplinary working groups in which CONICET researchers, health workers and health authorities participated. The work we have done during the pandemic has left us with many lessons, recalls Gamarnik”. And he specifies: “perhaps one of the most vital was the creation of collaboration networks between different actors in the scientific and healthcare system. This trust-based interaction and cooperation between different actors is something very valuable, the connection has been established and this year it helped us identify what the needs were to diagnose dengue infections. Based on these interactions and with the promotion of a program of the former Ministry of Science, a program of high-impact federal networks, we achieved the development which has now been approved by ANMAT.”
Lemos, for its part, was already specialized in immunodiagnostic products with particular interest in Chagas disease and toxoplasmosis. “It achieved an exceptional performance during the pandemic, in which it co-developed, in record time together with CONICET, the Fundación Instituto Leloir and the University of San Martín, the first national kit of the COVIDAR line for the detection of specific antibodies.Today, since this pandemic is considered controlled, its preparation and its provision are limited”, explains Carradori, who also underlines that “the development of this dengue detection kit is the result of joint public-private work made up of an extraordinary human group, led by Andrea Gamarnik, whose interaction was synergistic and enhanced in their scientific knowledge.”
news: What is the future work?
Gamarnik: This year we have many challenges, we want to continue generating tools that allow us to have information on the dengue situation in our country. For example,now we want develop a new kit that allows measuring specific antibodies against dengue. This it will provide us with epidemiological information to know how many people in our population have been infected with dengue. But the reality is that we are in a time of great uncertainty because Funding for projectsWe are not sure about the payment for the second year of the federal networks program (projects originally planned for four years). this adds to the paralysis in career entry for CONICET researchers.
How dose the Detect-AR Dengue kit improve diagnosis and treatment during the current epidemic?
Interview: Understanding the Dengue Crisis and Innovative Solutions
Time.news Editor: welcome, everyone, to this crucial discussion on the Dengue epidemic currently affecting Argentina and the innovative solutions being developed to address it. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Andrea Gamarnik, a leading researcher at the Leloir Institute and a key figure behind the newly approved ELISA NS1 test for dengue diagnosis. Thank you for joining us, Dr. Gamarnik.
Andrea Gamarnik: Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here and discuss such an critically important topic.
Time.news Editor: Let’s dive right in. This summer, Argentina experienced the largest dengue epidemic in its history. Can you give us a sense of the scale of this outbreak?
Andrea Gamarnik: Absolutely. We confirmed over 583,000 cases and recorded 419 deaths due to dengue this summer. The concerning part is that the dengue virus has been circulating continuously,even during winter,particularly in provinces like Chaco and Formosa. This is a significant departure from past patterns where the virus typically faded in colder months.
Time.news Editor: That’s alarming. The situation seems to extend beyond Argentina, with the entire Americas experiencing a surge. How extensive is this problem across the continent?
Andrea Gamarnik: Yes, data from the Pan American Health Association indicates that 2023 alone saw more than 4.1 million dengue cases reported in the region, doubling the numbers from previous years. The presence of all four serotypes of the virus circulating increases our risk for serious disease, making it a critical public health challenge.
Time.news Editor: Speaking of challenges, let’s discuss the innovative efforts in diagnostics.Your team has developed the Detect-AR Dengue kit. Can you tell us about its significance?
Andrea Gamarnik: The Detect-AR Dengue kit is the first national antigen test approved in Argentina for dengue diagnostics. It allows for rapid identification of the NS1 viral protein in patients during the acute phase of the disease. This is particularly critically important in the context of our current health crisis,as it mitigates the reliance on imported tests which can frequently enough be unavailable or expensive during outbreaks.
Time.news Editor: How does this test compare to existing diagnostics out there?
Andrea Gamarnik: Our kit exhibits high sensitivity and specificity, with 98% sensitivity for detecting the infection and 99% specificity. This means it can accurately identify both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases—critical, considering that about 75% of dengue infections are asymptomatic and often go unnoticed.
Time.news Editor: That’s a pivotal aspect. Many people might not realize they have the disease. What measures should healthcare providers take when considering testing?
andrea Gamarnik: Healthcare professionals should be aware of the symptoms of dengue but also understand that asymptomatic individuals can still carry the virus. we recommend testing whenever there’s a suspicion of infection, nonetheless of symptom presence, to better control outbreaks.
Time.news Editor: with this significant demand for testing,how do you foresee the deployment of the Detect-AR Dengue kit across the country?
Andrea Gamarnik: We are ramping up production to ensure availability for local laboratories and for export. By providing a domestically produced option, we not only alleviate shortages but also maintain affordability and ensure that healthcare professionals can promptly respond to this ongoing crisis.
Time.news Editor: It sounds like a significant step forward in dengue diagnostics. Thank you so much for your insights today, Dr. Gamarnik. We hope this test will make a substantial difference as argentina navigates this challenging health emergency.
Andrea Gamarnik: Thank you for having me, and for shining a light on this crucial issue. We all need to work together to combat these outbreaks effectively.
Time.news Editor: And thank you to our audience for joining us. Stay safe and informed, and together we can face the challenges ahead.