Emergence and Increased Epidemic Potential of Dengue Variants with the NS5V357E Mutation after Consecutive Years of Transmission

We discover the molecular events involved in overwintering and increased disease severity between consecutive dengue virus serotype 2 outbreaks from 2001 to 2003 in Taiwan. The virus evolved from the early-epidemic strain (Ia) to the late-epidemic strains (Ib and II), featuring three amino acid differences. The data for plaque and foci morphology in Figures 1 and 2, is provided.