A new dengue virus model has been developed in Leiden
Leiden University has developed an organ-on-a-chip model for dengue infection. This model simulates the effects of the infection, allowing researchers to gain a better understanding of the disease and potentially contributing to the development of new medicines. The model is particularly well-suited to studying this virus, as it is difficult to investigate dengue infection using animal testing. Dengue is becoming increasingly prevalent, as the mosquito that transmits the virus is able to survive in an ever-growing number of regions around the world. This is largely due to climate change and global warming.
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Organ-on-chip-model
The designed model replicates the virus and its effects on the human body. Infection with the dengue virus causes dengue fever in humans. The model tracks the progression of the disease and researchers have discovered that dengue fever affects the integrity of blood vessels, making them more prone to leakage. This can lead to severe bleeding and ultimately, organ failure. In the most serious cases, the body can go into haemorrhagic shock.
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Lack of knowledge
Researcher Mashaghi points out that the role of mechanics has long been underestimated in the medical field. The focus was mainly on chemical processes, but the researcher has discovered that the physical rigidity of a cell plays an important role in the disease. Thanks to this insight, researchers can now collaborate with others to explore how a medicine can be developed that targets both the symptoms and the underlying cause of the disease.
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Significant threat
It is of great importance that this virus is studied. Due to climate change, it is spreading more rapidly, as the mosquitoes that transmit the virus can now survive in a greater number of regions. They are now able to live in areas where this was previously not possible. As a result, dengue is one of the fastest-growing viral diseases in the world, according to researcher Mashaghi. The World Health Organization estimates that around 3.9 billion people are at risk of exposure to the virus. In addition, there are approximately 390 million infections each year, of which around 40,000 are fatal.
Continuation
The research team is already working on the next step. In this phase, they are developing a model to demonstrate how the skin responds to the virus, as the dengue virus first comes into contact with the skin. Researcher Mashaghi explains that the skin reacts strongly to temperature and humidity and the effects of these factors on the immune system are already well established. Ultimately, the researchers aim to expose the model to various climatic conditions in order to study the impact of heat and moisture.