Dengue (DEN) viruses belong to the family
Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, and occur as four
antigenically related, but distinct serotypes designated DEN-1,
2, 3 and 4 (EG Westaway et al. 1985 Intervirology 24:
183-192). The viruses are characterized by a single strand of RNA
associated with a core protein, in a nucleocapside surrounded by
a lipid envelope. The genoma consist of a single open reading
frame coding for core protein (C), precursor of the membrane
protein (prM) and envelope (E) structural proteins, followed by
the non structural proteins NS1, NS2a, NS2b, NS3, NS4a, NS4b and
NS5 (FZ Heinz & JT Roehring 1990 p. 289-305. In MHV Van
Regenmorte, AR Neurath (eds), Immunochemistry of Viruses, II.
The Basis for Serodiagnosis and Vaccines, Elsevier).
