Camila Isabel Gonzalez-Thompson
8th Grade, Caribbean School
Ponce, PR
Understanding IgG and IgM Seroprevalence of Dengue Virus in Southern Puerto Rico: A Key Step To Reduce Disease Burden
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Project Background
In 2024, Puerto Rico declared an outbreak of dengue fever, with more than 6,000 cases. The viral infection is spread by mosquitoes. Most causes are mild, but serious ones can lead to shock and organ failure. Camila was surprised to find out that few people in her school knew about it. “In Puerto Rico, dengue is as common as the flu, yet many people know little about it or its serious side effects,” Camila says. She decided to find out just how common dengue infections were in her community.
Tactics and Results
Camila worked with a scientist at Ponce Health Science University to test people’s blood for whether they had been exposed to dengue. The immune system has different antibodies for dengue; someone who had dengue in the past will have more IgG antibodies, while someone who was exposed for the first time will have more IgM antibodies. Camila got serum samples from 440 people in Puerto Rico and found that people older than 50 had more IgG antibodies, meaning they had had dengue in the past. People younger than 50 had IgM antibodies, meaning they were being exposed to dengue for the first time. This means that dengue is endemic in Puerto Rico and has had more than one outbreak. Camila hopes that her work can help public health officials learn where to put out vaccines or work to prevent the disease.
Beyond the Project
Camila loves to dance, and for the past three years has also been performing in school plays. She likes hanging out with her friends and playing with her pets: dogs, cats, a parrot and a turtle. Camila is very passionate about public health, and volunteers at the student-run free clinic, Clínica del Sur in Ponce. She would like to become an immunologist. “By studying immunology, I hope to contribute to developing new ways to fight infectious diseases and improve lives in Puerto Rico and around the world,” she says.
