NEA monitoring recent dengue spike

Jessica Jaganathan, Straits Times 30 Jan 09;

SINGAPORE is keeping a close watch on dengue fever, with the number of deaths from the disease in neighbouring Malaysia doubling this month compared with the same period last year.

According to Malaysian news reports, dengue cases spiralled to 4,221 with 12 deaths in the first 23 days of this month, compared with 2,103 cases, including five deaths, during the corresponding period last year.

In Singapore, the number of dengue cases increased in the first three weeks over the same period last year.

A total of 509 people were infected, compared with 341 during the same period last year.

Last week, however, 126 people were infected, down from 144 cases in the previous seven days.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it was monitoring whether the spike in cases in the first three weeks was due to short-term fluctuations, which are to be expected.

It added that while a surge in the number of cases in the region may have an impact on Singapore, 'there is at present no evidence to show that the recent rise in dengue cases in Malaysia could lead to a corresponding increase in cases in Singapore'.

An NEA spokesman said that Singapore's key strategy to prevent dengue outbreaks is still to keep the mosquito population low to reduce their chances of transmitting the disease.

'The weather in Singapore is conducive to Aedes mosquito breeding all year round. Therefore, it is important that we do not let our guard down,' she said.

Dengue cases usually follow a six to seven year cyclical trend, with each year surpassing the one before. Singapore is in the third year of a cycle that began in 2007.

Overall, while the rest of the region saw an upswing in cases last year, Singapore bucked the trend, recording 7,032 cases, compared with 8,826 in 2007, according to the NEA.

It said its integrated dengue control programme that combines laboratory work and surveillance with aggressive vector control worked to contain the disease last year and will continue to do so this year.

But with Singapore's proximity to dengue-endemic countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, a regional approach to eradicating dengue is important, said the head of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School's emerging infectious diseases research programme, Professor Duane Gubler.

He said: 'Yes, you can eliminate mosquitoes, but that is a major job. The best way is to use a regional approach.'

Last year, Singapore joined 21 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region to draw up an eight-year battle plan to combat the disease.

Search on for antibody to fight all strains
Straits Times 30 Jan 09;

A SINGAPORE scientist plans to use her US$1.5 million (S$2.2 million) research grant to study how antibodies produced by the body stop the dengue virus from entering cells.

Dr Lok Shee Mei, 35, from the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, received the grant from the National Research Foundation earlier this month. The grant is to be used over three years.

People infected with one of the four strains of the virus can fall sick again if exposed to a different strain.

Dr Lok is hoping to be the first person to develop an antibody that can fight all four strains.

Viruses can get into cells by latching on to specific structures on the cell surface and unlocking them.

Dr Lok has found a particular antibody that changes the locks so that the virus cannot bind to the cell any more.

She is researching whether this can be developed into a 'humanised' form to be injected into someone with dengue to help destroy the virus. Overseas studies have been done on tissue culture, but not on animals, as they do not fall sick with dengue.

Dr Lok expects the research to take up to five years.

She also plans to extend this research to chikungunya with fellow local scientists.

JESSICA JAGANATHAN