Scientists in Brazil discovered how dengue virus binds to a human enzyme to replicate and spread rapidly in the body, according to The Health Site.
Here are five points:
1. Researchers uncovered that NS1, a protein linked to dengue's replication machinery, binds to a viral protein called GAPDH.
2. GAPH is an enzyme that plays a part in the process where the glucose is broken down to generate energy in humans. Researchers performed a series of tests to confirm the binding between NS1 and GAPGH is specific and not a spurious finding.
3. Researchers hypothesized NS1 modulated the host's metabolism by raising GADPH activity early in the infection process, and therefore GAPDH should be identified as a vital target for the development of new drugs to treat dengue.
4. Every year, 390 million people are infected by dengue.
5. Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain and skin rash.
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