Dengue type 3 virus in plasma is a population of closely related genomes: quasispecies.

Using reverse transcription-PCR and clonal sequencing of the dengue virus envelope gene derived from the plasma samples of six patients, we reported for the first time that dengue virus circulates as a population of closely related genomes. The extent of sequence diversity varied among patients, with the mean pairwise proportions of difference ranging from 0.21 to 1.67%. Genome-defective viruses were found in 5.8% of the total number of clones analyzed. Our findings on the quasispecies nature of dengue virus and the defective virus in vivo have implications with regard to the pathogenesis of dengue virus.