Not many are aware that a most advanced diagnostic laboratory for uncovering viral infections is located in a State-run hospital in Mysuru which does most tests required in the fight against viral epidemics. This is one among six hi-tech labs set up in the State under the Central grants for strengthening viral diagnosis.
Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at the Department of Microbiology on the premises of K.R. Hospital, the teaching hospital of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI), which became functional three years ago, comes into focus whenever there are viral outbreaks. It is the sole authority for despatching samples for the tests of newer viruses to the national labs and research centres such as National Institute of Virology (NIP), Pune.
The NIV in Pune is currently handling the analysis of samples of suspected cases of 2019 nCoV.
VRDL is a part of a network of such labs established across the country by the Department of Health Research, Government of India. The rise in the number of viral outbreaks and the resultant mortality from them had been cited as key reasons for the launch of network of such hi-tech labs.
The National Institute of Virology, Pune and the National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi will be the top laboratories for the network while the National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai will be supervising the data generated by the network of labs.
The VRDL, Mysuru had been established at a cost of ₹1.3 crore and all viral diagnostic tests are done under one roof. Samples from neighbouring districts are also sent to the lab and the tests are done for free.
VRDL here has so far not received any sample of suspected cases of nCoV from the region.
Other than the diagnostic services – serological and molecular tests, the VRDL also does research with scientists in the area carrying out the research and analysis.
VRDL Mysuru does around 80 per cent of tests related to viral infections. Since it’s a novel virus, it has not taken up venture testing of nCoV and routing such samples to NIV, Pune or the State-level lab in Bengaluru, according to the specialists handling the lab.
MMCRI Dean and Director C.P. Nanjaraj told The Hindu that the VRDL was fully equipped for carrying out the tests on viral infections. It’s one of the advanced diagnostic labs under the government network and its services are available for fighting the epidemics.
K.R. Hospital, where the lab is located, has an nCoV isolation ward whose doctors and nursing staff had been trained for handling the cases. Necessary gear and masks had been given to the staff for dealing with the patients. So far, no suspected cases have come to the hospital for treatment, Dr. Nanjaraj added.
The Microbiology Department is headed by Anuradha K. and Amrutha Kumari B. is the nodal officer for the VRDL here. The lab can be approached for tests by the individuals and the tests are done for free if they come under the purview of the lab.
VRDL handles several thousands of samples in a year and private hospitals had banked on it for tests in cases of influenza. The duration of tests depends on the cases.
