Nature and extent of genetic diversity of dengue viruses (DENV-1) in Myanmar determined by 454 pyrosequencing

Dengue virus (DENV) populations are characteristically highly diverse. Regular lineage extinction and replacement is an important dynamic DENV feature, and most DENV lineage turnover events are associated with increased incidence of disease. The role of genetic diversity in DENV lineage extinctions is not understood. We investigated the nature and extent of genetic diversity of DENV serotype 1 representing different lineages histories from acute phase sera from dengue patients admitted to the Yangon Children’s Hospital, Myanmar. The results provide an insight into the within-population genetic structure and diversity of DENV-1 populations.