Jipmer has joined the league of select diagnostic centres in the country which are equipped to undertake tests for the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne vector which has been notified as a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Jipmer is now on a par with apex centres such as the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi that have sophisticated facilities for identifying the Zika virus through molecular detection of viral RNA.
The Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquito, which is also a vector for dengue and chikungunya. And, the abundant presence of vector population coupled with unsatisfactory mosquito control measures, has raised valid fears of a major threat to public health in the country from the virus.
Blood samples from all suspected cases of Zika virus will now be sent to the Microbiology Department, Jipmer and detection of viral RNA done using reverse transcriptase PCR(RT-PCR).
Subhash Chandra Parija, Director, Jipmer said that faculty from the virology section of the Microbiology Department is among the 10 institutes all over India to have acquired training in RT-PCR for Zika virus detection conducted by NIV Pune.
“Our mandate is to engage in sentinel surveillance to collect data sets that will confirm or rule out presence of the Zika virus,” said Rahul Dhodapkar, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Jipmer.
This would involve testing the existing pool of blood samples that have tested negative for dengue and chikungunya for Zika virus. Since clinical features of a Zika infection closely resemble onset of Dengue, a PCR (RT-PCR) becomes imperative to make a differential diagnosis.
The India Council of Medical Research and Department of Health Research has asked the ten Zika testing centres to despatch the findings on a fortnightly basis.
“Apart from this, we can now undertake a Zika test on a demand raised by a clinician,” said Dr. Dhodapkar.
For Jipmer, the addition of Zika testing facilities ties in with its larger plan of establishing a state-of-the-art regional virology laboratory. This is part of a Government of India initiative to strengthen diagnostics and surveillance for existing and emerging viral strains, and screening for potential agents of bioterrorism. The proposed Viral Diagnostic Laboratory is coming up on a 10,000 sq ft site and is expected to be ready around September.
