An early activated CD38highCD209highCD36low monocyte phenotype is associated with progression to severe dengue

Early activated CD38highCD209highCD36low monocytes are linked to progression from dengue fever to dengue haemorrhagic fever, with CD38 and CD86 highest in non-classical monocytes.

• Why it matters: Monocytes are key dengue virus target cells, but specific phenotypic markers that predict severe disease are unclear, limiting prognostic and therapeutic options.
• What they did: Flow cytometry compared monocyte subsets and markers in DF (33), DHF (21), and healthy controls (20), and PBMC co-cultures (n=8) were exposed to DENV2, DENV3, NS1, or LPS to test CD36 and CD38 changes.
• The result: Patients progressing to DHF showed expansion of CD38high, CD209high, CD86high, HLA-DRhigh, CD36low intermediate monocytes; CD38 correlated positively with liver transaminases and serum ferritin, and DENV3 co-culture downregulated CD36 (p=0.023).

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