The innate immune system

Dengue Virus

The innate immune system is the primary defense structure for the body from germs

entering the body (“NCBI,” 2020). There is evidence that the immune response is dysregulated

during the early stages of the disease. The infection is characterized by an initial inflammatory

stage (with a peak viremia at four days after the onset of symptoms) followed by a resolution

phase, during which the levels of the virus gradually diminish. In this phase, an increased number

of innate immune cells (natural killer cells, monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils) are recruited

into the systemic circulation. These are the various immune sentinels present on the skin where a

mosquito has bit (St. John & Rathore, 2019). These cells are recruited in response to the virus-

associated damage at the sites of virus replication. The increase in the number of immune cells

appears to be accompanied by an altered pattern of cytokine production by these cells and a

reduced proliferative response to mitogenic stimuli. Individuals infected with the dengue virus