Genomic epidemiology of dengue virus 2 and 3 reveals repeated introductions and exportations of several lineages in Colombia

Dengue fever, a major mosquito-borne viral disease, is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and poses a significant global health burden. Despite extensive research, the spatiotemporal dynamics of dengue virus (DENV) lineages in Colombia remain understudied. Here we analyze 11,443 complete genome sequences from Colombia and the Americas to map the genomic epidemiology of DENV-2 and DENV-3. Phylogeographic reconstruction revealed multiple independent introductions and exportations of the DENV-2 II and III lineages, as well as the DENV-3 lineage III C.2, underscoring Colombia’s critical role both as a source and a sink of viral traffic within the Americas. Antigenic profiling demonstrated distinct clustering of emergent lineages in antigenic space, consistent with immune-escape–driven turnover. These results highlight the necessity of sustained, high-resolution genomic surveillance to guide targeted public-health interventions and mitigate dengue transmission across the region.