Oxidative stress response in the pathogenesis of dengue virus virulence, disease prognosis and therapeutics: an update

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus that causes febrile illness and can lead to a potentially lethal disease. The mechanism of disease pathogenesis is not completely understood, and there are currently no vaccines or therapeutic drugs available to protect against all four serotypes of DENV. Although many reasons have been suggested for the development of the disease, dengue studies have shown that, during DENV infection, there is an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants that disrupts homeostasis. An increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels triggers the sudden release of cytokines, which can lead to plasma leakage and other severe symptoms. In the present review, we give an overview of the oxidative stress response and its effect on the progression of dengue disease. We also discuss the role of oxidative-stress-associated molecules in disease prognostic and therapeutics.