Tata Institute for Genetics and Society inks MoU with CUTN

Published - July 26, 2023 07:10 pm IST - TIRUVARUR:

The Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bengaluru, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Central University of Tamil Nadu in Tiruvarur district to address the growing concerns related to diseases caused by insects, and specifically tackle the alarming incidence of Scrub typhus.

According to a CUTN release, Scrub typhus is a fever caused by the bite of mites, which are present in various environments including agricultural fields and rodents. Particularly, when farmers are engaged in harvesting activities, they are at risk of encountering these mites, leading to transmission of the bacteria known as O.tsutsugamushi. This pathogenic bacteria is responsible for causing Scrub typhus fever and poses a serious health threat.

The symptoms of Scrub typhus include fever, nausea, body pain, and, in severe cases, it can lead to coma and even death if left untreated. At present, the only available treatment involves administering the drug doxycycline, which helps to control the disease but does not provide a complete cure. The collaboration between CUTN and TIGS aims to make significant strides in understanding and combating this disease.

As part of the MOU, CUTN will collect mite and bacterial samples from various sources including rats and agricultural fields. Subsequently, TIGS will identify the bacterial strains responsible for Scrub typhus. This identification process is crucial in determining the specific species of the bacteria and devising targeted treatment strategies.

The MoU signed by the Registrar, R. Thirumurugan, on behalf of the university and by Director, Rakesh K. Mishra for TIGS in the presence of CUTN vice-chancellor M. Krishnan will pave the way for studying and combating other vector-borne diseases carried by insects such as ticks and mosquitoes, which also pose significant health challenges worldwide, the release added.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.