- Abeygoonawardena, Harshi;
- Dassanayake, Kanchana;
- Kariyawasam, Jayani;
- Chathuranga, Teshan;
- Sundralingam, Tharmini;
- Gunasekara, Hansani;
- Wevita, Sathyani;
- Premawansa, Gayani;
- Premawansa, Sunil;
- Wijewickrama, Ananda;
- Wijesinghe, Namal;
- Navaratne, Varuna;
- Weiskopf, Daniela;
- Sette, Alessandro;
- Punchihewa, Chandanamali;
- De Silva, Aruna
A study conducted from July 2019 to May 2022 at several hospitals in the Western Province, Sri Lanka, focused on dengue virus strains during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among 417 febrile patients, 47% were PCR-positive for dengue. Serotyping revealed DENV-1 (12.8%), DENV-2 (46.4%), DENV-3 (37.2%), and DENV-4 (3.6%). Sequencing identified two genotypically distinct variants of DENV-3 and two genotypically distinct variants of DENV-1, while DENV-2 showed a single genotype cluster. Notably, the study found concurrent circulation of two DENV-3 and two DENV-1 genotypes, along with DENV-2, during the pandemic in the area. This data suggests the presence of multiple dengue strains, including several DENV-1 and DENV-3 variants, without major epidemic outbreaks reported in the Western Province. Continuous monitoring and research are essential to understand the dynamics of these dengue strains in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.