Dengue haemorrhagic fever: Virus or host response?

The pathogenesis of dengue haemorrhagic fever has been the subject of intense research and considerable controversy. One hypothesis proposes that the immune response in a sensitized host is the primary mechanism. In contrast, others have suggested that the disease is caused by a more virulent, variant strain of dengue virus. Recent advances in molecular biology and hybridoma technology are providing valuable clues toward a solution and illustrating the fact that the course of a human viral disease is often a net result of unseparated interactions between host and virus.