Antibody responses of dengue fever patients to dengue 2 (New Guinea C strain) viral proteins.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the antibody responses of dengue fever (DF) patients to specific dengue virus proteins. Partially purified dengue 2 New Guinea C (NGC) strain virus was used as antigen. Under the present experimental protocols, it was observed that almost all DF patients' sera had detectable presence of antibodies which recognize the dengue 2 envelope (E) protein. The convalescent-phase sera especially had significant detectable IgG, IgM and IgE against the protein. In addition, IgGs specific against the NS1 dimer and PrM were also detected. Antibody against the core (C) protein, however, was not detectable in any of the DF patients' sera. The substantial presence of IgG against the PrM in the convalescent-phase sera, and the presence of IgE specific for the E, reflect the potential importance of these antibody responses in the pathogenesis of dengue.