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Luis Morier

Bio: Luis Morier is an academic researcher from University of Havana. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dengue fever & Dengue virus. The author has an hindex of 16, co-authored 67 publications receiving 1284 citations.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A retrospective seroepidemiological survey was conducted in Cerro, a densely populated district in Havana City, Cuba, finding children infected by DEN-1 virus followed byDEN-2 virus had a high risk of acquiring dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS).
Abstract: In Cuba, 2 epidemics of dengue virus occurred: 1 caused by DEN-1 in 1977 and 1 caused by DEN-2 in 1981. The latter was associated with cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). To study viral risk factors for DHF/DSS, a retrospective seroepidemiological survey was conducted in Cerro, a densely populated district in Havana City. The prevalence of plaque reduction neutralizing antibodies to DEN-1 and DEN-2 viruses was measured in 1,295 individuals (children and adults). Of these, 43.7% were immune to DEN-1 virus and 23.6% to DEN-2 virus. Of those individuals who were immune, 26.1% were immune to DEN-1 virus only, 6% to DEN-2 virus only, and 17.6% to both viruses. The DEN-2 virus infection rate in DEN-1 immune individuals was 3.8 times higher than in non-immune individuals. The 5 DHF/DSS cases in the sample had evidence of DEN-1 virus plus DEN-2 virus infections. Three were children and 2 were young adults. No cases were found in individuals infected with DEN-1 virus or DEN-2 virus only. Children infected by DEN-1 virus followed by DEN-2 virus had a high risk of acquiring DHF/DSS. Blacks and whites were equally infected with DEN-1 and DEN-2 viruses.

351 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, neutralizing antibody studies on sera from 54 of 78 DHF/DSS patients that provide evidence of infections occurring in the sequence DENV-1 followed by DENV -3.
Abstract: A dengue epidemic caused by dengue virus 3 (DENV-3) occurred in Cuba in 2001-2002. It included cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). We report neutralizing antibody studies on sera from 54 of 78 DHF/DSS patients that provide evidence of infections occurring in the sequence DENV-1 followed by DENV-3. No sera showed infection in the sequence DENV-2 followed by DENV-3. Some sera showed a pattern of infection in the sequence DENV-1 followed by DENV-2 and then DENV-3. However definitive categorization of a tertiary infection was not possible because of broadly reactive antibodies, which could have been raised by infections in the sequence DENV-1 then DENV-3.

146 citations

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TL;DR: Severity of disease is markedly increased when infection with dengue virus type 2 follows infection withdengueirus type 2 by an interval of 20 years.
Abstract: Severity of disease is markedly increased when infection with dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) follows infection with DENV-1. Studies have shown that heterologous neutralizing antibody titers are inversely correlated with severity of a second infection. If this mechanism controlled disease severity in Cuba, heterotypic antibody titers should have declined over time. To determine whether phenotypic changes in dengue antibodies occur over time, we analyzed serum samples collected 4–8 and 20–22 years after DENV-1 infection. We found a significant increase in mean titer of homologous DENV-1 neutralizing antibodies and a significant decrease in heterologous antibodies to 1 of 2 genotypes of DENV-2 virus (the American genotype). Asian DENV-2 viruses were not neutralized during either interval; however, the American genotype underwent phenotypic changes in heterotypic viral neutralizing antibodies in the predicted direction. This finding may be related to the time-dependent changes in severity of disease found with secondary dengue infection.

108 citations

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TL;DR: The results suggest that the rapid centrifugation assay may be useful for detection of dengue virus in clinical specimens.
Abstract: A rapid centrifugation assay was compared with conventional tube cell culture for dengue virus isolation in both sera and autopsy samples from dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome fatal cases. The rapid centrifugation assay allowed isolation of virus from 16.6% more samples than the conventional method, and it shortened the time for dengue virus detection. Finally, it allowed the isolation of dengue 2 virus in 42.8% of tissue samples from five fatal cases. Our results suggest that the rapid centrifugation assay may be useful for detection of dengue virus in clinical specimens.

64 citations


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the changing epidemiology of dengue and hemorrhagic fever by geographic region, the natural history and transmission cycles, clinical diagnosis of both Dengue fever and DVF, serologic and virologic laboratory diagnoses, pathogenesis, surveillance, prevention, and control can be found in this paper.
Abstract: Dengue fever, a very old disease, has reemerged in the past 20 years with an expanded geographic distribution of both the viruses and the mosquito vectors, increased epidemic activity, the development of hyperendemicity (the cocirculation of multiple serotypes), and the emergence of dengue hemorrhagic fever in new geographic regions. In 1998 this mosquito-borne disease is the most important tropical infectious disease after malaria, with an estimated 100 million cases of dengue fever, 500,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever, and 25,000 deaths annually. The reasons for this resurgence and emergence of dengue hemorrhagic fever in the waning years of the 20th century are complex and not fully understood, but demographic, societal, and public health infrastructure changes in the past 30 years have contributed greatly. This paper reviews the changing epidemiology of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever by geographic region, the natural history and transmission cycles, clinical diagnosis of both dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever, serologic and virologic laboratory diagnoses, pathogenesis, surveillance, prevention, and control. A major challenge for public health officials in all tropical areas of the world is to devleop and implement sustainable prevention and control programs that will reverse the trend of emergent dengue hemorrhagic fever.

3,886 citations

01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: A major challenge for public health officials in all tropical areas of the world is to devleop and implement sustainable prevention and control programs that will reverse the trend of emergent dengue hemorrhagic fever.

2,656 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A global strategy aimed at increasing the capacity for surveillance and outbreak response, changing behaviours and reducing the disease burden using integrated vector management in conjunction with early and accurate diagnosis has been advocated.
Abstract: Dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever are important arthropod-borne viral diseases. Each year, there are ∼50 million dengue infections and ∼500,000 individuals are hospitalized with dengue haemorrhagic fever, mainly in Southeast Asia, the Pacific and the Americas. Illness is produced by any of the four dengue virus serotypes. A global strategy aimed at increasing the capacity for surveillance and outbreak response, changing behaviours and reducing the disease burden using integrated vector management in conjunction with early and accurate diagnosis has been advocated. Antiviral drugs and vaccines that are currently under development could also make an important contribution to dengue control in the future.

1,732 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Higher peak titers were associated with increased disease severity for the 31 patients with a peak titer identified, and increased dengue disease severity correlated with high viremia titer, secondary d Dengue virus infection, and DEN-2 virus type.
Abstract: Viremia titers in serial plasma samples from 168 children with acute dengue virus infection who were enrolled in a prospective study at 2 hospitals in Thailand were examined to determine the role of virus load in the pathogenesis of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). The infecting virus serotype was identified for 165 patients (DEN-1, 46 patients; DEN-2, 47 patients; DEN-3, 47 patients, DEN-4, 25 patients). Patients with DEN-2 infections experienced more severe disease than those infected with other serotypes. Eighty-one percent of patients experienced a secondary dengue virus infection that was associated with more severe disease. Viremia titers were determined for 41 DEN-1 and 46 DEN-2 patients. Higher peak titers were associated with increased disease severity for the 31 patients with a peak titer identified (mean titer of 107.6 for those with dengue fever vs. 108.5 for patients with DHF, P=.01). Increased dengue disease severity correlated with high viremia titer, secondary dengue virus infection, and DEN-2 virus type.

1,548 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The status of vaccine development is described and it is emphasised that the only alternative that the authors have today to control the disease is through control of its vector Aedes aegypti.
Abstract: This review is an update of dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) based on international and Cuban experience. We describe the virus characteristics and risk factors for dengue and DHF, and compare incidence and the case fatality rates in endemic regions (southeast Asia, western Pacific, and the Americas). The clinical picture and the pathogenesis of the severe disease are explained. We also discuss the viral, individual, and environmental factors that determine severe disease. Much more research is necessary to clarify these mechanisms. Also reviewed are methods for viral isolation and the serological, immunohistochemical, and molecular methods applied in the diagnosis of the disease. We describe the status of vaccine development and emphasise that the only alternative that we have today to control the disease is through control of its vector Aedes aegypti.

1,309 citations