Dengue virus serotype detection and molecular characterization using Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

Dengue virus (DENV) infection poses diagnostic challenges due to the need for highly reliable detection methods. Although molecular diagnostics for dengue provide high sensitivity and specificity, they require specialized expertise and complex sample preparation; in contrast, serological assays used in clinical settings are time-dependent, restricted to qualitative detection, and do not enable serotype differentiation. To address these challenges, the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy as a complementary tool for dengue detection and serotyping was explored. Raman spectra of biobanked serum samples infected with the four DENV serotypes deposited onto aluminum samples were acquired using 532 nm excitation. After spectral preprocessing, deconvolution was performed to resolve overlapping features, and characteristic Raman bands were identified. Preliminary results suggest that Raman spectroscopy can capture both common and serotype-dependent spectral features across all four DENV serotypes. Characteristic peaks associated with lipids, amino acids, and other biomolecules commonly found in human sera were observed at 511, 1002, 1155, 1205, 1446, 1514, 1656, and 1737 cm⁻¹ in all samples. Distinct Raman features were observed across serotypes, suggesting that variations in band profiles may arise from serotype-specific molecular signatures associated with their genetic differences. These findings support the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a rapid, label-free approach for dengue diagnostics, particularly in the Philippines where the disease remains highly prevalent.