Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42490678›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Multi-district molecular surveillance of dengue virus in Pakistan reveals serotype cycling and recurrent DENV-2 dominance, 2021-2025.

Massab Umair, Rabia Hakim, Zunera Jamal, Qasim Ali, Muhammad Salman

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In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Massab UmairDepartment of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4540-8467
Rabia HakimDepartment of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Zunera JamalDepartment of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Qasim AliDepartment of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad SalmanDepartment of Virology, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dengue virus (DENV) remains a major public health concern in Pakistan, with recurrent seasonal outbreaks and shifting serotype patterns. Understanding temporal and geographic trends in circulating serotypes is essential for improving surveillance and outbreak preparedness. This study aimed to characterize the spatio-temporal distribution and serotype dynamics of DENV detected through molecular surveillance in Pakistan between 2021 and 2025. NS1-positive dengue cases were tested at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for serotyping. Demographic, temporal, and geographic data were analyzed to assess the distribution of DENV infections and circulating serotypes over the study period. Among 1,644 NS1-positive dengue cases tested, 1,162 were confirmed by qRT-PCR. DENV-2 was the predominant serotype overall, accounting for 78.4% of confirmed infections, followed by DENV-1 (21.4%) and DENV-3 (0.09%). Temporal analysis showed that DENV-2 predominated during 2021 and 2022, was temporarily replaced by DENV-1 in 2023, and re-emerged as the dominant serotype in 2024 and 2025. Dengue transmission demonstrated strong seasonal patterns, with most cases occurring during the post-monsoon months of September and October. Gender-Age distribution showed majority of cases in males (66%), particularly those aged 21-40 years. Geographically, most confirmed cases were reported from Rawalpindi and Islamabad, reflecting the primary referral catchment of the surveillance system, while additional cases were detected from several other districts, including Peshawar, Nowshera, Mansehra, and Karachi. These findings highlight dynamic shifts in DENV serotype circulation in Pakistan and emphasize the need for sustained molecular surveillance to guide public health responses.

Indexed as

DengueDengue VirusAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolDisease OutbreaksFemaleHumansInfantMaleMiddle AgedPakistanSeasonsSerogroupSerotyping

Identifiers

PMID42490678
PMCPMC13395329

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.