Circulating miR-1246 as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Dengue Infection: A Case–Control Study

Background: Dengue is a growing mosquito-borne viral infection of global concern. It remains a major public health challenge in Nepal, where reliable biomarkers for disease staging and prognosis are lacking. In this study, we investigated circulating microRNA-1246 (miR-1246) as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker in dengue infection. Methods: Serum samples from 21 dengue-positive patients and 20 healthy controls were analyzed by quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR), with RNU6 as an internal control. Results: Dengue patients showed markedly elevated miR-1246 levels, with a mean 47-fold increase compared to controls (p = 0.001). Expression varied by disease stage, peaking in IgM positive cases, declining in weakly positive IgM patients, and reaching the lowest levels in IgG positive convalescent cases, a pattern consistent with clinical parameters such as platelet recovery. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis further highlighted diagnostic potential, yielding an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.79, sensitivity of 95.24%, and specificity of 60.00%. Conclusions: These findings imply that miR-1246 is drastically dysregulated during dengue infection and could be a useful biomarker for tracking the intensity and course of the illness.