Australian scientists make breakthrough in dengue fever treatment

Clinical trials for a dengue fever treatment should start within a year, following a discovery by University of Queensland scientists that dengue virus has similar reaction to body with other bacterial infections.

"We have discovered that the dengue virus NS1 protein acts as a toxin in the body, in a similar manner to the way bacterial cell wall products lead to septic shock in bacterial infections," The university's head of the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences Professor Paul Young said on Thursday.

The finding would allow them to use existing drugs used for other purposes to fight the mosquito-borne dengue fever.

"For the past 20 to 30 years, researchers and pharmaceutical companies have been developing drug candidates to inhibit the body 's damaging responses to these bacterial infections."

The researchers believe these drugs could fight the dengue virus and are seeking to find out if they really can.

"So drugs are already available that have gone through phase three clinical trials," Young said.

Young said the dengue virus was an increasing problem in tropical and sub-tropical areas, with more than 2.5 billion people in more than 100 countries at risk of infection.

Dengue virus is estimated to infect up to 400 million people globally each year. The World Health Organization ranks it as the most dangerous mosquito-borne viral disease in the world.

"Given increased international travel and the prospect of climate change extending the range of the dengue mosquito, more people will be at risk," Young said.

Dengue causes a debilitating fever but can progress to potentially fatal dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Up to 500,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever are diagnosed each year, with as many as 25,000 deaths.

"Despite this significant global health burden, no vaccine or drug has yet been licensed," Young said.

The University of Queensland research group's findings and the availability of drugs already developed for bacterial infections mean that clinical testing could begin in as little as one to two years. Endi