Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Sep 08, 2025 3 hours, 24 minutes ago
Medical News: A New Approach to Fighting Dengue
A groundbreaking study from scientists at the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia, reveals that vitamin D could play a vital role in helping the body defend itself against dengue virus infection. Dengue fever, spread by Aedes mosquitoes, is a serious global health threat with no effective antiviral treatment. This
Medical News report highlights how vitamin D influences immune cells to fight off the virus and reduce harmful inflammation.
Vitamin D Strengthens Body Defenses Against Dengue Virus
How Vitamin D Affects Immune Cells
The researchers focused on macrophages, a type of white blood cell that dengue virus often uses to replicate. By growing macrophages in the presence of vitamin D, the team observed that these cells became less susceptible to viral invasion. Even more importantly, they discovered that vitamin D triggered these immune cells to activate specific genes very early during infection. This genetic activity boosted antiviral defenses while calming down excessive inflammatory responses, which are known to make dengue more dangerous.
Key Findings of the Study
The experiments showed that vitamin D-treated macrophages displayed a different pattern of gene expression compared to untreated cells. At early stages of infection, these cells switched on several antiviral genes such as IDO1, ISG20, OASL, IFI44L, RSAD2, IFIT1, MX1, CXCL10, and CXCL11. These genes helped the cells block viral replication and limit the spread of infection. At the same time, the vitamin D-treated cells showed a weaker inflammatory response, with reduced activity in pathways linked to NF-κB, a major driver of harmful immune overreactions. Instead, the cells relied more on IRF5, a factor that enhances antiviral activity without triggering a damaging cytokine storm.
Why This Matters
Dengue can cause severe illness and even death, particularly when the immune system overreacts and damages the body’s own tissues. By balancing the immune response—strengthening antiviral defenses while reducing excessive inflammation—vitamin D could help lower the risk of severe outcomes. The research suggests that vitamin D may act as both a shield against viral replication and a regulator to prevent harmful immune overdrive.
Conclusion
The findings provide fresh hope that a widely available and inexpensive vitamin could become an important tool in managing dengue infections. While more clinical trials are needed, the evidence points toward vitamin D supplementation as a simple way to reduce severity in dengue patients. This is especially significant for countries in tropical regions where dengue is a persistent threat. By shaping immune responses at a genetic level, vitamin D may offer a safe, affordable, and effective strategy to improve survival and recovery.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: PLOS One
?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0330751">https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0330751
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/dengue-news
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