Introduction:

Dengue virus infection is a global public health problem. The bite of Aedes mosquitoes transmits the virus. The proteins in the saliva of the Aedes aegypti vector induce specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies, whose relationship with the severity of dengue is still unknown.

Aim:

To evaluate the association between A. aegypti-specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies and the severity of dengue infection.

Method:

A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 16 children with severe dengue (DG), 15 children with dengue and warning signs (DCSA), and 26 healthy children, all of them under 15 years of age. Serum levels of A. aegypti-specific IgE and IgG4 were determined; VEGF, SST2, and VEGFRI were also quantified by ELISA. For the qualitative variables, proportions and odds ratios (OR) were calculated; as to the quantitative variables, medians and interquartile range were found and the U Mann Whitney test was used.

Results:

Children's chance of having DG with specific IgG4 serum levels greater than 0.5 DO is 78 % lower [OR = 0.22] (95% CI, 0.06-0.77), compared to the possibility of having dg with specific IgG4 serum levels less than 0.5 DO. Platelets (p = 0.0002) and VEFG (p = 0.003) that are higher in patients with DCSA and SST2 were higher in DG (p = 0.004).

Conclusion:

A. aegypti-specific IgG4 antibody levels are related to lower clinical severity of dengue.

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